


I'll Show You

by LittleSnow



Series: Reckless [1]
Category: Batman (Movies - Nolan), Batman - All Media Types, The Dark Knight (2008)
Genre: Betrayal, Blackmail, Crimes & Criminals, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, F/M, Gun Violence, Hurt, Kidnapping, Murder, Mystery, Pain, Psychological Trauma, Sexual Tension, Slow Burn, Torture, Unhealthy Relationships, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-03
Updated: 2018-11-18
Packaged: 2019-05-17 15:55:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 17
Words: 86,064
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14835345
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LittleSnow/pseuds/LittleSnow
Summary: 'Introduce a little anarchy, upset the established order and everything becomes...chaos.'Nora moves to Gotham City to start fresh, a new beginning in a new city where nobody knows her. Unfortunately, onebadnight ruins all her hopes as she comes face to face with the Joker himself.





	1. The date

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everybody!
> 
> Just a little disclaimer before you start reading... This story won't follow exactly the Dark Knight storyline. Also, please for the love of everything holy, this is Heath Ledger's Joker, so no sweet and loving Joker here, you've been warned ! ;)

                                                                  

 

' **C** ome on ! You need to live a little and get out of this hole !'

_Hole ?_ I look at my messy living room and back at Karen. _I don't like her_. Well, to be fair, I don't really know her, but I'm not sure I want to. She's one of those know-it-all women that think they're welcome anywhere, anytime. _Like my place. At seven in the morning_. You wouldn't believe I've only met her twice at some charity events. _I don't even know how she found out where I lived, come to think of it…_

' **N** ora ?' Karen's voice interrupts my thoughts.

' **Y** eah.' I don't even try to hide the annoyed tone in my voice.

' **I** t'll be fun ! That's how I met my Derren five years ago, you know…'

_Oh yes, I know. Her dear Derren from the GCPD. I've never seen the guy, but it feels like I know more about him than I know about her. Anyway, I've never gone on a blind date before and I kind of hate the concept, but if it makes her go away, maybe I should just go along with it_.

' **H** is name is Dan and he's _gorgeous,_ ' she continues anyway, 'Nora, you've got to meet him, you two will be perfect together !'

' **O** k, fine.' I sigh with a forced smile.

' **G** reat !' Her high-pitched voice makes me cringe and I almost sigh with relief when I see her heading for the door. 'He'll pick you up at seven.'

' **G** ot it.' I nod my head, opening the door for her.

' **O** ne more thing.' She stops in the doorway and turns around. 'Dan is a man of good, how can I put it… _taste_ , so…' She purses her lips and looks me up and down. 'You look ok in jeans, but tonight, please, try to make an effort.'

I squint and shut the door in her face. _Why did I have to give her my number ?_ I sigh and head to the kitchen. _I'm tired, but I know I won't be able to fall back to sleep now_. I boil the kettle and tear a page from the notebook lying on the counter. _A chain lock, curtains, a calendar…_ I pour the hot water in my cup and look around the apartment. _And I do need to tidy up_.

I left my small town and moved to Gotham last month. It wasn't an easy decision to move away from the only family I have left, but I needed it. I had enough of being the poor orphan girl who lost her parents and sister in a car crash. Not matter what I'd do in life, that would be the only thing people would remember about me. Even twenty years later, I could still hear people whispering behind my back, giving me apologetic looks. My aunt always reassured me and told me to ignore them but I grew up hearing other kids call me "weird" and it kind of stuck with me. Sure, now I've grown up and my awkwardness has faded a little, but I know that, for certain people, I'm still considered "weird". Maybe because I enjoy my own company most of the time and I hate having all the attention on me… but I don't see what's wrong with that. For some reason though, this comes across as "weird". I don't think my family's death had anything to do with the way I am. Or maybe it had. Anyway, my aunty Rose made sure I always had what I needed, but even though I've been fairly happy, I needed a fresh start. Gotham was my mother's birthplace, maybe that's why I was naturally drawn to it, but I knew here I could have a chance to be "normal". Nobody would know me, nobody would talk about me and that's how I want it to be.

Later in the afternoon, I'm walking through the aisles of a small DIY store, looking for a chain lock. _Why are there so many choices ?_

' **C** an I help you with anything ?'

My heart skips a beat when I notice a store worker standing right behind me with a big smile.

' **N** o, I'm ok,' I mutter before turning back to the door chains.

Truthfully, I could have used some help, but I hate talking to strangers, so I just grab a random one and walk off quickly. The counter is only a few feet away from me, when suddenly a tall man pushes past me, almost knocking me over, without apologizing. I freeze immediately and turn around the corner, my body on high alert. I noticed the gun almost immediately.

_' **O** h my god !'_

_' **D** on't shoot, please !'_

I hold my breath. I haven't even heard the man's voice once, but I guess that's the benefit of threatening someone with a gun. _No need to talk_. I hear a few customers gasp and hide behind the aisles. I feel my phone vibrating in my back pocket as I hear the shop doorbell and I quickly glance at it. _Rose_.

_' **T** om, call the police !'_

The man is already gone. I swipe the screen and bring the phone to my ear.

' **H** i, how are you ?' I answer casually.

' **N** ora ! How are things going over there ?' Her voice sounds relieved.

_I did ignore her calls yesterday_.

' **E** verything's fine. I'm finally settling in my new apartment.'

I hand my items and money to the pale worker at the counter. His shaky hands struggle with the cash register as his colleague is already on the phone to the police.

' **I** miss you, honey. Oh, wait… Jen just arrived with my new plants.'

I hear some muffled voices as I'm heading back out to the busy streets.

' **I** can call you back tonight, if you want,' I suggest as I'm crossing the road quickly.

' **O** h...maybe, yes. Are you sure it's ok ?' Rose's worried voice resonates in my ear.

' **Y** es, that's fine. I'll talk to you later !' I hang up just as I hear "love you".

_Crap_. I sigh and shake my head. _I can't believe I've just witnessed a robbery_. These things never happened where I used to live, but in Gotham, it must be pretty common. That's one of the reasons why Rose was so reluctant to see me leave. We used to hear about Gotham in the news and I was always fascinated by the uncommon stories and events that took place here. Not fascinated by the crimes, though, but I know that I can't expect life to be as safe in a large city with millions of people.

After installing the chain lock and tidying up the apartment, I look at the clock. _6pm_. I almost forgot that, in an hour, a total stranger will come knocking on my door to take me out somewhere. _I should call Karen and cancel...but for some reason, I don't want to seem rude._ I quickly shower and wrap myself in a fresh towel, before stopping in front of my wardrobe. I'm not antisocial and I've gone on dates before, but only with people I had already met. This is new and I know I'll hate it. If what Karen says it's true, then the guy is everything I despise. Arrogant, snobby and shallow. I glance at the only two dresses I own. A red one and a black one. I've probably had them for three years now but I've never worn them. They would be perfect for a date but, as I said before, I hate drawing the attention to me and they will definitely do that tonight. Then, I remember Karen's last comment and I grab a pair of black jeans and purple top that I already wore yesterday. _Definitely not good enough for Dan, therefore the perfect choice_. I shake my hair, not even bothering brushing it. _I want him to realize I haven't made any effort to impress him._ I skip the make up and sit on the couch, my bag under my arm.

' **I** should have cancelled,' I whisper when the clock hits 7.00.

I'm so nervous, my stomach is twisting painfully and I have a lump in my throat. _I don't care about Dan, I'm definitely not expecting anything, but it's just how I get when I have to meet new people. I hate it_. There's a loud knock on the door and I jump to my feet. After taking a deep breath, I open the door wide. _He's exactly like I imagined_. Tall, his blond hair is brushed to the side, a thin layer of gel holding it and he's wearing an expensive-looking suit. _And I'm dressed like I'm going grocery shopping_.

' **H** ey ! Nora, right ?'

I nod without saying anything and he just stands there awkwardly for a few seconds.

' **I** 'm Dan.' He extends his hand.

I just look at his hand for a few seconds, without a smile.

' **H** i !' I finally force a smile on my lips and shake his hand.

As soon as I turn around to lock the door, I feel his eyes travelling along my body. He's probably thinking how inappropriately dressed I am. _Good_.

As I expected, he's taking me to the fanciest restaurant in Gotham. _Bamonte's_. I've walked past that place a few times already, thinking I would never set foot in there. _And here I am_. As soon as we step in, I feel like all the eyes are on me and I just want to run back out and hide home. _I feel so out of place_. I secretly hope Dan will be so bored, he'll just take me back home, but he's already pulling my chair out so I can sit. He starts making small-talk and I mentally roll my eyes.

Two hours later and the most awkward meal I've ever had, he's still sipping his coffee, talking to a man sitting at the next table. _I want to go home_. He's spent the evening talking about his company and all the money he makes and how successful he is, but didn't bother asking one thing about me.

' **N** ora !' His loud voice almost makes me jump in my seat and I lift my eyes. 'We'll be driving Richard and his wife back home.'

I nod absently. _If it means we can go right now, I'm good with that_.

' **T** axi services in this town are just awful,' Richard starts, 'We had to wait _fifteen_ minutes before one came to pick us up. Our driver is very ill.' He turns to me and raises his eyebrows. 'We almost fired him and hired a new one just to avoid this whole mess !'

They all start laughing and I just stare at them blankly.

*

I stay quiet during the whole drive, thankful that the other couple is keeping Dan busy, but impatient to drop them off so he can take me home next. When the car finally stops though, Dan cuts the engine, unfastening his seatbelt and I just frown, confused.

' **W** e're just going up for one drink !' He jumps out of the vehicle and slams the door.

I swear under my breath and follow him outside. Before we get through the main door, a tall security agent searches my bag and then allows us to use the elevator across the main hall. There's obviously a big event taking place in this building… _not that I care_. I look at the expensive chandeliers hanging over our heads and I let a long breath out. It'd better be _one_ drink.

*

One hour later, I'm still sitting on a chair out on the balcony, glancing at the people leaving the penthouse. _That's my cue, I'm going home_. I get up and follow the group of people approaching the elevator, hoping Dan isn't looking this way.

' **N** ora ? Where are you going ?'

_Great_.

' **H** uh, cigarette break ?' I raise my eyebrows and purse my lips.

' **Y** ou don't smoke.'

' **H** ow would you know ?' I scoff, before sighing quietly. 'I have to go. Thank you for the meal, I appreciate it. I'll call a taxi.'

' **A** t least, stay for the fireworks and then I'll drive you straight home.' Dan holds his hands up. 'Promise...And you don't have to call me after tonight, I swear I won't bother you !'

I sigh and look at my watch.

' **F** ine, but that's _it_.'

I follow him back to the balcony and notice that, out of the hundred guests present when we first arrived, there are only about half left, spread around the penthouse. Staring at my watch, I wait patiently for the fireworks to start. When they finally do, I almost jump, forgetting how loud they are. That's when I remember telling Rose I would call her tonight. _It'll have to wait_. A weird feeling suddenly invades me and I shake my head, trying to get rid of it. The booming noise feels like it's echoing through my heart and I look at the city with a sigh. I've never seen Gotham from this point of view before and for a few seconds, I'm amazed by all the lights and the tall buildings around me. The fireworks stop abruptly, followed by a few claps. _I'm ready to…_

' **G** oood evening, ladies and gentle-men.' A loud but eerie voice resonates behind me and I hold a gasp.

We all turn around and the first things I notice are the masks. A group of ten armed men have suddenly reached the balcony, clown masks covering their faces. And then, _he_ emerges from behind them and my heart stops beating. Of course, I know who he is _. The Joker_. I've seen him in the newspapers before and read a few articles about him. It's one thing to see pictures, but seeing him in the flesh is terrifying. The relaxed atmosphere has dissipated like smoke and only a thick tension suddenly floats in the air. He walks slowly towards all of us, a knife in his hand. He's wearing a long dark purple coat with matching pants and some brown shoes. As terrified as I am, I can't keep my eyes off of him.

' **I** have _one_ question.' He licks his lips rapidly. ' _Where_ is the mayor ?'

A heavy silence settles and I think everybody can hear my heart pounding. _Was the mayor supposed to be here ?_

' **H** e's at the hospital with food poisoning,' Richard explains quickly, holding his wife's hand tightly.

The Joker squints and tilts his head to the side.

' **W** ell.' He sighs and pushes a strand of green-tinged hair off his face. 'That's very, uh, _unfortunate_.'

I haven't made a sound, my feet glued to the floor but I can only think about one thing. _I'm going to die tonight_.

' **P** lease,' I hear my own voice say and I immediately bite my tongue.

_I wasn't supposed to say that out loud…_ I hold my breath as the Joker's eyes roll to me and for the first time, he's staring right at me. I feel Dan grab my wrist and I mentally thank him for the support.

' _ **P** lease _?' the Joker repeats, mocking me. 'Please _what_ , hmm ?'

He starts circling around me, like a predator examining his prey and his dark eyes linger down my body. I'm almost certain he just sniffed me too and I wish I had just kept my mouth shut. He points his blade towards me and stops in front of me.

' **Y** ou don't look like you _belong_ here.'

' **Y** ou should leave now.' I hear Dan's voice next to me. 'We won't call the police.'

_What is he doing ?_ The Joker turns his head to the left where Dan is standing, right next to me. He frowns and takes a few steps to stand in front of him. I never imagined the Joker to be that tall and intimidating and suddenly Dan looks completely vulnerable. For a fraction of a second, the Joker's eyes stop on Dan's hand holding my wrist and the corners of his scarred mouth twitch.

' **H** asn't your _mommy_ ever told you it's _rude_ to interrupt a conversation, hm ?' He brings his knife up to Dan's face.

Dan turns white as he's staring at the knife and I feel sick in my stomach. _I can't intervene, I can't talk, I can't even move. I'm powerless_.

' **T** his is nothing _personal_ ,' the Joker adds with a nod.

The next thing happens so fast, I don't even have time to react. I hear gasps and muffled cries and I feel Dan's hand sliding off my wrist. I open my mouth but no sound comes out of it. Dan is on the floor now, blood pouring out of his throat and he's looking straight at me. My eyes are wide open and I wish I could help him or at least say something, but I can't. I can only stare at the blood pooling around his neck.

' **W** here was I ? Oh, _yes_.' The joker grabs my chin and lifts it roughly. 'Look at me.'

The cold contact with his leather glove almost makes my heart stop. I can't get my heartbeats to slow down and my throat is so tight, it's barely leaving enough space for the air to pass through. I try to stop the tears from falling but I can't. My hands are shaking and I feel like I'm going to vomit. I meet the Joker's eyes again and he gives me a fake sympathetic look.

' **O** h shhh, don't cry.' He strokes my cheek with the same hand he just stabbed Dan and I close my eyes in horror. 'I have a little _game_ for you to play. What's your name, hmm ?'

I'm doing my best not to stare at his scars but my eyes don't even know where to look anymore. He's still holding my chin in a tight grip and I find his proximity unnerving. His smell is a mixture of… sweat and chemicals.

' **N** -Nora.'

' **O** k, Nora.' His tongue darts out to lick his red lips again. 'I am willing to spare _these_ , uh…' He clears his throat and points at the other people with the blade. ' _fine_ people...if _you_ sacrifice yourself.'

My stomach drops and I look around me. _I'm not ready to die. I don't want to_. His fingers tighten on my chin again and I look back at him.

' **O** r.' He smiles and without moving his head, his cold eyes travel through the crowd. 'I can spare your life and kill _them_.'

A few shocked gasps echo around the balcony and I swear I can hear someone say 'kill her'. _Is this really happening ?_ I feel all the eyes on me and the bile rises in my throat. _What kind of sick game is that ?_

_' **W** e don't even know her !'_

_' **K** ill her !'_

The Joker turns his head slightly to the side and looks at me with a shocked expression.

' **C** an you hear them, Nora ? _Kill her_ !' His high-pitched laugh sends a wave of goosebumps all over my body. 'So... _cold_.'

_I don't want to die. Especially not for those people. But I can't be responsible for this…_

' **N** oooraa ? This is really fun but, I don't have all night.'

_What can I do ? What should I do ? Is he really going to let me go if…?_

' **H** ey, look at me.' He turns my head forcefully and his face is way too close to mine right now. 'Do you want to live ?'

' **Y** es,' I let out mechanically, before I can stop myself.

' **T** hat's all I asked.'

' **W** ait… No !'

I cover my mouth with one hand, the gunshots firing already and I just stand there, eyes wide open. The Joker is staring at me with bloodshot eyes, watching my every reaction with a creepy satisfaction. _I've just killed them all_. Soon, everybody around me is on the floor, dead. I shut my eyes, my whole body shaking. _I'm going to wake up from this nightmare. I'm going to wake up_.

' **C** ome here.' He grabs me by the elbow and I follow him without a word.

_Everybody is dead. It's my fault…_ When we step back in the penthouse, what I see is more than what my brain can process. There are dead bodies covering the floor and blood everywhere, splattered on the walls. I feel so light-headed, my legs are barely supporting me.

' **F** ood poisoning,' the Joker mutters under his breath, shaking his head, 'It just _had_ to be tonight…'

His grip on my elbow tightens more and more until I'm almost certain he's cutting the blood circulation in my arm. I don't dare say a word though, even if an obvious question is going around in my head. _What is he going to do with me now ?_ I try to keep my eyes in front of me as I step over a few bodies on the floor. I can't help but glance sideways at his face smeared with makeup, hoping he'll let me go, but the criminal isn't known for sparing people's lives. I notice all the other masked men, waiting in front of the elevator in the distance and my heart starts pounding. He finally lets go of my arm and I feel the blood rushing back to my hand.

' **N** ow, uh, _Nora_ , I had a good night, but it's time for me to go.' He nods his head a few times with a creepy smile. 'Can I trust you not to say a word about our _little old mayor_ ?'

' **Y** es,' I reply almost immediately.

' **G** ood. Now, it's going to _sting_ a little. Oh, and, it's important… _don't move_.'

_What ?_ I hear police sirens in the distance and suddenly I see his hand move almost imperceptibly.

' **N** o, no, no.' I try to step back in panic, but it's already too late and his body is flush against mine.

A weird glint passes in his eyes as he growls quietly in my ear, his breath hitting my bare neck. He steps away quickly and grabs my left shoulder. I can't feel anything but when I look down, my heart stops. All I can see is the handle of his knife sticking out of me.

' **S** hh now, you're not going to die. I'm not _cruel_.' He rolls his eyes at me. 'Just breathe and don't take the knife out.' He helps me down on the floor. 'And I'll see _you_ , well, uh, _very soon_.'

I can't stop staring at the blood on my top and I feel like I'm going to faint. Weirdly, I can't feel any pain, just an uncomfortable feeling. My whole body feels numb. I lift my eyes but they're all gone. _The Joker is gone._ I let my head hit the wall behind me and I take a deep breath. _I'm going to be ok_. I'm not losing too much blood and the police will be here any second. _I'm going to be ok_. I don't know if it's the knife or just the shock of the events but I feel like I could just close my eyes and fall asleep.

_' **G** CPD !'_

_' **5** 53 IRVING STREET, WE NEED BACKUP AND AN AMBULANCE_ _._

My eyes flutter open and I try to move but I feel stuck to the floor.

' **C** an you hear me ?'

A man kneels down in front of me and I nod slowly.

' **M** y name is James Gordon.' He examines my wound and the blood on my top. 'It's only superficial, you'll be fine,' he adds rapidly, 'An ambulance is on its way.'

' **T** hank you.' I stare at the small black knife handle sticking out of me.

' **W** hat happened ?'

' **J** oker...' I whisper weakly.

The man's face blemishes and he turns around to another officer.

' **I** want all security footages from here and downstairs. _All of them_.' He turns back to me. 'Did he say why ?'

_He wants the mayor. I have to tell him… but the Joker doesn't want me to say it_.

' **N** o,' I lie anyway.

Gordon nods slowly and tells me to relax until the ambulance arrives. The rest is just a confusing blur. I remember vaguely being on the ambulance, a few nurses lying me down on a bed and then I just drift off to sleep.

*

The first thing that pops in my mind when I wake up is _pain_. Sure I couldn't feel anything when it first happened, but now I definitely can.

' **S** hit,' I whisper under my breath as I try to sit up more comfortably on the hospital bed.

There's a knock on the door and before I have the time to even answer, the door flies open. An officer enters the room with a cup of coffee and sits in the chair by my bed.

' **I** need to ask you a few questions, if that's alright with you,' he says in a flat tone.

I glance at him without saying anything. _I don't like the look of him_. He gets his notepad out and starts scribbling things without even making eye contact with me.

' **A** re you aware that you were the only survivor of tonight's attack ?'

I shake my head, wondering what time it is. _It feels like the middle of the night to me…_

' **H** ow do you explain that ?' he continues without a smile.

' **D** on't know,' I mutter, not even able to think about it.

' **Y** our name is Nora Wilde, right ?'

' **H** m.' I nod reluctantly.

' **Y** our name wasn't found on the guest list.'

I sigh and shake my head.

' **I** wasn't supposed to be there.'

He starts scribbling frantically again.

' **H** ow come you were dressed so _casually_ for such a prestigious event ?' he insists, squinting at you.

I stay silent. _I'm done talking_.

' **N** ot talking to me isn't gonna do you any good,' the officer retorts, pen tapping nervously.

_Is this a threat ?_ I glare at him as I can see the door opening from the corner of my eye.

' **Y** ou work with a guy called Derren, right ?' I ask without giving him the time to answer, 'Ask his _wife_ Karen where I was.'

' **M** ike ? You can go home now.' I recognize the man from earlier and I close my eyes with relief.

_I don't want to talk to any of them_. I hear the door shut and I hope they left me alone.

' **M** iss Wilde ?'

I open my eyes to see Gordon standing by my bed, with a sympathetic look on his face.

' **I** 'll talk to Karen myself,' he reassures me, 'Is there anybody I can contact for you ?'

I shake my head rapidly.

' **V** ery well. I'll let you rest now.' He puts a card on the little bedside table. 'If you need anything, you have my number. I'll be in touch soon.'

He exits the room and I lie back on the bed, shutting my eyes. _I need to contact my aunt, she must be worried_. I somehow manage to grab my handbag on the floor, without moving too much. _Hopefully, I'll still have enough battery. 5 missed calls, 3 messages and 3% battery_. I open the last message quickly.

_I'm sorry for bothering you again, honey, I know you must be out with friends. You can call me tomorrow or another time. Please drop me a message when you're safe home. Have fun, I love you._

The tears blur my eyes. I wish I could tell her everything that happened tonight, but it would just make her upset and probably guilty for letting me move here. So I just keep it to myself. _I can handle it_.

_So sorry for missing your calls ! I'm safe.. I'll call you tomorrow, love you._

I wipe a tear and put the phone on the little table. I wish I could go back to my apartment right now and hide in bed for a few days. I let my head fall back on the flat pillow and I close my eyes.

Soon, I fall into an agitated and uneasy sleep. I can still hear his voice in my dream, his laugh, the gunshots…

 

_**N** ora…_

His voice seems so close, I don't know where I am anymore.

' **N** oraa ?'

My eyes open wide and I sit up, wincing in pain. I gasp loudly when I realize the Joker is sitting in the chair by my bed. _This can't be happening again…_  He's wearing a green vest with a light purple shirt underneath it and he's holding my phone in his hands, staring at the screen. It's only a detail but I can't keep my eyes off of his hands. I can see the white paint staining his long fingers and the idea of him without makeup is somehow terrifying. My heart feels like it's going to explode. _Why me ?_ He chuckles and scrolls down the screen on my phone. I don't know if he's looking at my texts or pictures, I don't care, I just want this nightmare to end. _Let's be real, I can't fight and I definitely can't run, so whatever plan he has for me, there's nothing I can do to stop it_. I want to ask him what he expects from me but I'm scared to break the silence. I hear my phone vibrate, signalling it's turning off and the Joker frowns and smacks his lips, visibly annoyed.

' **W** hat do you want from me ?' I find the courage to ask.

He throws my phone nonchalantly over his shoulder, the screen shattering against the hard tiles. He finally lifts his eyes and glances at me. A wave of goosebumps travels over my whole body.

' **W** ell, because you _asked_.' He gets up and shoves his hand in his pocket. 'I need you to do a _liittle_ something for me.'

He's handing me a small black cellphone that I take reluctantly.

' **C** all this number and tell them I just killed the mayor !' His shoulders start shaking as a rumbling chuckle rises from his throat. 'Oh, and a bunch of doctors and nurses too.'

My eyes widen in horror and I instinctively glance at the door, like I could see through it. I dial the number on the screen without any protest.

_' **G** CPD.'_

' **H** -Hi,' I start with hesitation, 'Uh, the Joker is here. He..he just killed the mayor and some… doctors.'

_' **I** need your location.'_

My mind goes blank for a second and I just keep my mouth open like a fish out of the water.

' **G** otham General,' I finally snap out of it.

The Joker snatches the phone out of my hand and throws it in the bin. The quick contact with his warm fingers almost burns my cold hands and I rub them unconsciously against my naked legs.

' _ **J** eez_, Nora. A little bit more… _emotions_ next time.'

I stay quiet as he gets up again with a sigh. He licks his lips almost imperceptibly and clears his throat.

' **C** ome with me,' he says simply, empty-eyed.

I don't miss to spot the small knife he's holding in his right hand and I hold my wound unconsciously, leaning back slightly.

' **W** -Why… Why do you need me ?' I stutter, trying to hide the fear.

' **I** don't _need_ you, I _want_ you to come with me. _Now_.' He moves his fingers quickly.

I bite my tongue and get out of bed slowly. I finally get up on my shaky legs and take a few painful steps. The skin feels so tight and sore on the side of my belly that I slightly hunch my back. My heart jumps in my chest when he suddenly closes the distance between us and pushes me against the wall. I let a painful gasp out when the impact sends electricity throughout my body. My wound starts tingling and burning and I really hope it hasn't reopened. He leans close to my face and I can't help but hold my breath. He grabs my cheeks, his knife hovering only inches from my face.

' **Y** ou don't want me to _hurt_ you now, do you ?' he asks, his expressionless eyes studying every inches of my face.

I shake my head, trying to hold his stare, but he's too close, too intimidating. He lets go of my chin and steps back.

' **C** ome on.' His hand clasps my arm right above the elbow.

He pulls me abruptly and drags me out of the room. I almost have to run to keep up with his long strides and I can feel the skin stretching. The stitches will definitely pop open. We quickly walk through the main hall and reach the main entrance.

' **C** an we slow down, please ?' I try to plead with him.

He doesn't reply nor look at me, but he makes a scary guttural noise that tells me to stay quiet. I bite the inside of my cheek and look around us. Since we've gotten out of the room, I have seen blood and signs of struggle, but not _one_ dead body. Nobody alive either, for that matter. _No other clowns_.

I wince in pain when we start going down the stairs. The cold wind hits my legs and I wish I was wearing my normal clothes and not a thin hospital gown. _It's a cold night_. I feel the hair on my body stand up almost painfully. The only heat source is his hand holding my arm and I glance at him a few times. He's looking right in front him, muttering incomprehensible things under his breath. My legs are so weak, I don't even know how I'm able to step forward without falling over.

' **G** CPD, DROP YOUR WEAPON !'

I jump in surprise, my whole body shaking. The Joker freezes and in a quick movement, he's stepped right behind me, his knife resting on my carotid. To my surprise, his other hand quickly shoves a piece of paper in my hand and then closes my fist with his own palm. I feel the heat pulsating from his hand and I don't dare moving a muscle.

' **D** ROP THE WEAPON, NOW !'

The voice comes from behind us this time and I feel relief wash over me. _It's over_. The Joker opens his hand and drops the knife almost immediately. I feel myself being pulled away and I see James Gordon standing right in front of me, another officer dealing with the criminal.

' **W** e got you, you son of a bitch !' He glares at the Joker, now restrained on the floor, chuckling quietly. 'Miss Wilde, are you ok ?'

I quickly nod, my fist still holding onto the paper tightly, while they slowly escort me away to another vehicle. I glance down at the hospital gown but, thankfully, I can't see any blood.

' **O** fficer Jones is going to take you to our infirmary and have you checked up, ok ?'

I nod again and step in the car. As soon as the door slams, I let a deep and shaky breath out. _It's over… but what did he give me ?_ The officer sits behind the wheel and starts speaking in her radio. I open my fist slowly and look at the wrinkled piece of paper. A series of numbers seem to have been written down hastily.

_**5-17-20-64** _

_What is this ?_ I check the other side of the paper but there's nothing else.

' **R** eady ?' the female officer's voice brings me back to the car.

' **Y** es,' I say weakly, keeping the paper clutched in my hand.

Just as the car starts driving away slowly, I catch a glimpse of the Joker sitting in the other police car. My heart clenches in my chest and a cold sensation creeps up my spine. He's staring right at me through the window. _Smiling_.


	2. No way out

                                                                       

 

 _I_ _'ve forgotten how long I've been here_. I'm sitting on the bed at the infirmary, a woman has checked my stitches and I've been told I can go home. _Thank god_. The door opens slowly and I lift my eyes off the floor. _Gordon_. When I notice my bag and a pile of clothes in his hands, I feel slightly relieved. _At least I won't have to stay in this stupid hospital gown anymore._

' **I** thought you'd like to get your stuff back home with you.' He smiles weakly and places the bag and clothes next to me. 'I'll wait for you on the other side. Take your time.'

I nod quietly and start going through my bag, as the door closes. I find my broken phone, my keys and Gordon's card... I swallow hard when I see Dan's business card lying at the bottom of the bag and I quickly close it. I get up slowly and throw the gown on the bed, before putting on the clothes and shoes he brought me. _They're way too big for me, but it's the least of my worries_. I throw the bandages and the cream the nurse gave me into my bag and head out. The man points towards the hallway and I follow him quietly.

' **L** ook straight ahead, don't pay attention to _him_ ,' he says, his hand resting on my back.

 _To who ?_ As we arrive at the end of the hallway, some loud noises reach my ear and I realize there is a big holding cell in the middle of the room. Three men are standing by the bars and, sitting down on the bench... _there is the Joker_. I almost gasp and I quickly turn my head away when I notice him. I'm grateful Gordon is walking right next to me, shielding me from his view, but I suspect he has seen me already.

_' **B** ye, Nora.'_

My heart jumps in my chest as soon as I hear his deep but nasal voice. I don't even know how I heard it with all the talking. _For me, all the noises have suddenly faded away and his voice is clear as a bell_. I quickly push the door open and a cold wind blows through my hair. I take a deep breath and go down the stairs carefully. Leaning against his car, another male officer is waiting for us a few feet away. He straightens up as soon as he sees us and he gives me a weak smile. I avoid his stare and turn to Gordon.

' **Y** ou could have just called a taxi,' I say quietly.

He sighs while turning to me and his hand leaves my back.

' **I** thought after tonight, you deserved to feel safe, Miss Wilde.' He puts his hand out for a handshake. 'You have my card, give me a call tomorrow.'

I silently nod and sit in the car. The other man shuts my door and walks around the car to jump in the driver's seat. He adjusts his rear-view mirror and looks at me.

' **I** 'm Derren, Karen's husband,' he announces with a nod, 'Y'alright ?'

_So, that's Derren..._

' **Y** eah,' I reply simply, turning my head away.

He turns the engine on and starts driving slowly. I'm looking out the window, staring into space and he can probably see I don't want to talk, so a long silence settles. As we're arriving close to my apartment, I can feel him glancing at me in the mirror before breaking the silence.

' **I** 'm sorry about last night. I know Karen kinda... _pushed_ you into it. You could have avoided all that.' He clears his throat and leans forward, looking at the buildings attentively.

I shake my head. Of course, the thought crossed my mind already, but I can't think like this. _It's not her fault_.

' **I** 'm sorry about Dan,' I reply simply as he's pulling up in front of the block of apartments.

He nods his head once and turns around to look at me.

' **S** ure you're ok by yourself ?' he asks, glancing at the building.

' **I** 'm fine.' I open the door and step out awkwardly. 'Thanks for the drive.'

I shut the door and walk up to the main door as fast as possible. Goosebumps rise on my skin and I take a deep breath. _Only another minute. Two floors and I'm home._ I step out of the elevator and walk to my door, legs shaking. My fingers are trembling and I struggle to insert the key in the lock. Short-breathed, I slam the door shut and drag my feet to the living room with a long sigh. As I'm sitting on the couch, all the emotions come up to me like an unavoidable wave and I break down. Soon, the sound of my own sobs echo around the room and I sniffle loudly. _I almost died tonight. I'm scared and...it might sound pathetic but I just need a hug_. Instead, I'm surrounded by darkness and all I can hear is the faint noise of traffic outside. I feel like what happened last night wasn't real, it just doesn't make sense. _Nothing makes sense_.

As my tears dry up on my skin, paranoia starts taking over. _Am I even safe ?_ I retrieve a long knife from the kitchen side and start checking all the rooms in the apartment. After making sure the whole place is safe, I check the locks twice, relieved I installed the chain lock the day before. The clock shows 2.30am, but I can't possibly go to sleep now. _My body is exhausted but my mind is racing_. I close all the curtains before turning the TV on. I lie on the couch, my head on a cushion, tucking the blanket under my arms. _I need a distraction, I need to stop my thoughts. The Joker is in jail, I have nothing to worry about_.

Two hours later, my body finally gives up and I fall into deep slumber.

*

I wake up with a bad headache and a stiff neck. I turn off the tv and glance at the clock. 1pm. _I need more sleep, but first, I need to contact my aunt before she starts thinking something is wrong_. I get up painfully and head for the bedroom. The phone charger is still plugged to the wall and I get my phone out carefully. My heart twists a little when I see the state of it. _Ok, maybe it's worse than I thought_. As expected, the phone doesn't turn on and I start rubbing my forehead with a sigh. _I should have gotten a house phone too._ _I can't contact her, nor the GCPD today. It'll have to wait..._ I throw my bag on the floor and slowly get in bed. As I try to find a comfortable position under the sheets, something cold pokes my leg.

' **W** hat the h...' My fingers find a little box next to me on the mattress.

I quickly sit up and examine the object. My heart is in my throat and I feel nauseous. It's a small box, perfectly wrapped in a shiny purple paper with a thick green bow. _It's him_. I throw the box away on the bed and I just stare at it for a few minutes. _How did it get here ?_ There weren't any signs of forced entry and nobody else has my key. _How would he know where I live anyway ?_ I take a deep breath and try to make sense of it. _He's in jail, it can't be him_. _Do I open it ? I can't even call Gordon._ I don't let the small present out of my sight, like it's going to attack me at any moment. _I could just throw it away without opening it_. I scoff and rub my eyes. _I can't_. The temptation is too irresistible, just like when he gave me that piece of paper. _I need to know what it is_. I sigh loudly and start opening the present hastily.

 _It's a phone_. Not just any phone, _my phone. The exact same model and colour_. I hold it in my hand for a few minutes and I wonder how this is even possible. _Why would he do that ? How could he even do it ?_ I grab my broken phone and switch my card to the new phone. _It's definitely a brand new one_. I'm obviously aware that the phone could be tracked through the GPS but at this point, it doesn't matter. _Whoever's done that already knows where I live..._ I start dialling my aunt's number, the only one I know by heart, and she picks up fast.

_' **N** ora !'_

' **H** i ! Sorry for not contacting you earlier,' I apologize straight away, 'I was really...busy.'

_' **Y** ou don't have to apologize, honey, I just wanted to hear your voice...'_

The conversation with her is awkward. I have to lie and pretend everything is fine when my brain is just begging me to tell her the truth. She doesn't notice anything though, so I just cut the conversation short and hang up. As much as I want to go back to bed and forget about everything, I have to call Gordon. I get his card out of my bag and take a deep breath.

 _' **G** ordon.'_ His voice sounds serious, almost strict.

' **H** i, it's Nora Wilde,' I start with a nervous voice, 'From last night,' I add rapidly.

 _' **T** hanks for calling Miss Wilde.'_ His voice becomes softer. _'How are you feeling today ?'_

' **F** ine,' I lie evasively, 'Could I come over to the police station today ? To make that statement and... I have something to show you.'

_' **C** ould you be here in the next hour ?'_

' **S** ure.'

He thanks me again for calling and I quickly hang up. After five minutes of me walking around the bedroom, deep in thought, I regret calling him. _I don't want to go out_. I don't want to see people, I just want to stay in my apartment, alone. I wash my face and look in the mirror. _Another reason not to go out... I look terrible_. I skip the shower as I can't remember if I'm allowed to change the bandage yet and I just grab the first clothes I see. _Let's get this over and done with._

As soon as I step out on the street, the anxiety takes over again. I can't help but staring at every passers-by, every noises putting me increasingly on edge. I stop at the street corner to hail a taxi, but as I turn my head to glance behind me, I catch a glimpse of something I hadn't thought before. _Newspaper stand_. Hand still in the air, my heart rate accelerates as I suddenly realize something. _What if..._

' **H** ey !' The taxi driver rolls down his window.

' **W** ait, one second !' I exclaim surprisingly sternly.

I get my purse out quickly and buy three different newspapers before running back to the taxi.

' **T** hanks,' I say out of breath, shifting around in my seat, 'To the GCPD, please.'

The driver nods and starts driving off. I take a deep breath and start unfolding the newspapers.

 

**MASS MURDER AT THE GOLDBERG'S CHARITY GALA !**

**NIGHT OF TERROR AT GOTHAM GENERAL HOSPITAL !**

**THE JOKER FINALLY CAUGHT...BUT WHERE IS OUR MAYOR ?!**

 

I quickly flick through the pages and read the articles with apprehension.

_...according to an anonymous source, one survivor walked out with minor injuries. The GCPD hasn't released any name and Captain Gordon has yet to make an official statement about last night's horrific events, but the question is..._

I close the newspapers and let a long breath out. _Thank god_. I know the news will reach my hometown eventually and thinking about Rose reading the news, discovering I'm the survivor, makes me sick. _It cannot happen_. I'm relieved but my mind starts racing again. _What if my name does appear in the media in the next few days ? I hadn't thought about it. After all, they already have a source._ I start biting my bottom lip anxiously. _There's nothing I can do anyway_. The taxi comes to a stop and I pay the fare, leaving the newspapers in the backseat. _I won't read them again anyway_.

I go up the stairs slowly and almost get knocked over by a man exiting the building. I'm about to give him my dirtiest look when I realize it's an old man. He holds my shoulder gently and gives me an apologetic look.

' **I** am so sorry Miss. Are you alright ?'

I smile and nod quickly. _There's something warm and friendly about him_.

' **N** o problem.'

He starts going down the stairs when I realize his wallet has fallen out of his pocket, right by my feet.

' **W** ait, sir !'

He turns around, hands behind his back, looking at me with a smile.

' **Y** ou've dropped your wallet, Mr...' I glance at the driving license in the see-through window. ' _Pennyworth_.'

' **O** h.' He smiles and comes back up two steps and takes his wallet. 'That's very kind of you, Miss Wilde.'

He walks away and I turn around, the smile disappearing slowly from my face. _Hold on..._

' **W** ait, how...' I turn around, but he's already disappeared in his car.

 _How did he know my name ?_ I open the door, frowning now. _Maybe I've met him before..? Or maybe he knows Gordon._ I sigh and shake my head. _Never mind_.

' **I** 'm here to speak to James Gordon,' I announce as soon as a female officer approaches me.

' **M** iss Wilde !' Gordon appears behind her, before she has the time to open her mouth. 'Through here, please.'

I nod and follow him down a busy hallway. Officers are walking up and down, radio in hand, popping in and out of different offices. I almost bump into Gordon when he suddenly stops and steps aside to let me in his office. As soon as I step in, I notice the family pictures on his desk and a few medals on the wall, but I don't want to stare so I just sit in the chair and wait for him to sit down.

' _ **W** here_ is he ?' I ask straight away.

He types something on his computer and glances at me.

' **H** e's in Arkham,' he replies confidently, 'Highest security.'

I nod my head a few times, but surprisingly it doesn't make me feel better. I go through my bag and get the new phone out one of the small pockets.

' **I**...I found this at my house...' I start hesitantly.

I tell him how I found the strange present in my bed; how the new phone matches my old one and I go into as much detail as possible. He decides to hand it to one of his colleagues who will go through it and look for any tracking device, or anything out of the ordinary.

' **I** 'll be a second.'

He exits his office and I hold onto my bag tightly. The piece of paper with the numbers is still inside it. I brought it with me because I wanted to show him, but now that I'm here, I just can't hand it over. _Maybe I can figure out what it is by myself_. I can't explain why, but I feel like I shouldn't show it to the GCPD. _Not yet_. He comes back to the office and sits down with a sigh.

' **L** et's start, shall we ?'

I nod and start recounting last night's events. _I hate having to remember that night so vividly. It makes it too real and... I feel guilty_.

I stay at the police station for a long hour. I learn that the Mayor has disappeared but the Joker hasn't spoken once. All I can think of is... _Did he want to get caught ?_ Before I leave, Gordon returns the phone to me. According to the expert, they couldn't find anything on it and it's considered safe. I can use it if I want, even if Gordon strongly advises me not to.

When I finally arrive back home, I immediately lock the door and put the grocery shopping away. I've made sure, I won't need to go out for the next few days. _As far as I'm concerned, this was the last time I had to remember last night and I don't want to even think about it anymore_.

*

The next week goes by fairly quickly, but I don't feel any better. The only positive thing is that my name never appeared in the news. I've locked myself in my apartment, not opening my door to anyone, nor answering any phone calls. The only interaction with the outside world has been the few texts I've sent my aunt. Gordon tried to call me multiple times, Karen came knocking on my door but I ignored them. _I don't want to talk to them, I don't want to be reminded of what happened_. Gordon has been good to me, but I've made a statement, I did what I had to do and now I don't want to have to go back there again. _And with Karen, well...I don't want to see her again. She was never my friend to begin with_. I've moved to Gotham so nobody would know me and I would avoid all the usual pitiful looks... _so that's how it has to be._

' **L** et's do this,' I whisper before grabbing the scissors from the boiling water.

I haven't gone to the hospital to check how my wound is healing but I have basic knowledge to know that it seems fine. _Probably_. So, I'll just remove the stitches myself. I make sure to be right under the lamp to start cutting the threads. As I'm cutting the last knot, a knock on the door startles me. I sigh and finish removing the stitch with the tweezers as another knock resonates. I clean the area and put another bandage on, just to be safe.

' **M** iss Wilde ?' Gordon's muffled voice echoes through the door.

I zip my jumper back up and sit on the couch, closing my eyes. After five minutes, I hear his footsteps fade away and a pang of guilt twists my stomach. I don't mean to be rude or ungrateful, but I need to stay alone. I shove my hand in my pocket and get the piece of paper out. _I need to stop doing this, but I can't_. I want to know what these numbers are. _Is it even important ? Why giving it to me ?_ I throw the paper on my coffee table and start rubbing my temples.

I must have fallen asleep because when I wake up, the sun has already set. I grunt and turn on the light. As soon as the living room is lit, my heart jumps in my chest. There's a black envelope right by the front door. Someone slipped it under my door but I'm positive they didn't knock. _I would have definitely heard it_. I pick it up carefully and turn it over. The fear is quickly replaced by surprise when I see the logo. _Wayne Enterprises_. I open it rapidly.

**Invitation for**

**Nora Wilde**

I read the letter with my brows furrowed. _I've been invited to Bruce Wayne's party... Is this a joke ?_ I turn the letter over. I obviously know who Bruce Wayne is but I highly doubt he knows who I am. _What if it's not really from Wayne Enterprises ?_ A lump starts forming in my throat and I decide to call the number at the bottom of the letter. I clear my throat and wait anxiously.

 _' **A** lfred speaking,'_ a male voice resonates in my ear.

' **H** -Hi, uh... I've received an invitation to a... party. I think there's been a mistake, I don't personally know the host,' I explain awkwardly, 'I'm Nora Wilde,' I add when I remember I haven't even introduced myself.

_I hate phone calls._

_' **I** can confirm your name is on the guest list, Miss Wilde,'_ the voice states after a short pause.

I frown and glance at the letter. _This is confusing_.

' **O** h...ok then. Thank you.' I hang up and sit on the couch again.

 _Friday, 27th september. Tomorrow night._ _Why would I get an invitation ?_

' **N** ever mind, anyway,' I say out loud, dropping the letter on the table.

 _There's no way I'm going there. Nope_. Not wanting to start worrying about it, I turn on the TV and lie on the couch. As soon as my eyes shut, my phone starts vibrating on the glass table. I sit up and glance at the screen. _I don't recognize the number_.

' **A** llo ?'

 _' **N** ora Wilde ?'_ a female voice with a squeaky tone asks.

' **Y** eah.' I wait suspiciously.

_' **F** rankie here. We've received your resume and would like to know if you're still interested in the position at our restaurant ?'_

' **O** h...'

I completely forgot that I had sent it around for a part-time job as soon as I had arrived in Gotham. _I start studying in three months and I need the money right now_.

' **I** 'm still interested, yes,' I add quickly.

_' **G** reat. I'm sorry for the short notice but, would you be available to work tomorrow night ?'_

_Uh... No interview, really ?_

' **S** ure,' I answer anyway.

_That settles it for Wayne's party._

' _ **P** erfect. I'll see you tomorrow night, 8pm.'_

She hangs up before I have the time to say anything else and I shrug my shoulders. _That was easy_. I put the phone back on the table and lie back down, just staring absently at the TV screen.

*

' **N** ora, _finally_ !'

' **I** 'm so sorry !' I quickly take off my coat and put my phone in my back pocket.

 _I wasn't supposed to be late. I'm never late._ There was a road accident on the way and me being ten minutes early turned into me being thirty minutes late. Frankie checks my name on her list and pushes me into the kitchen without another word. Everybody's already working and they all glance at me before turning back to what they're doing. _I feel so uncomfortable I just want to run back out and go home_.

' **T** ony here will tell you what to do,' Frankie announces, nodding at the tall guy next to me.

I nod and look at the pile of vegetables in front of me. _Looks like I'm gonna cut a whole lot of vegetables tonight_. Which is fine by me, as long as nobody starts chatting to me. _I didn't come here for that_.

' **W** e have to cut the vegetables.'

With his knife, the young man points at the cutting board in front of me. _Thanks Tony, I figured that_. I start chopping and my mind drifts off. I haven't looked at any of the other workers and I'm grateful that the guy next to me doesn't try to talk to me. In fact, he has his headphones on, dancing with the music. _Judging by how loud it sounds, the man must be deaf by now_. As a result, I start listening to his music as well and time flies. _The job is boring and repetitive, but at least I don't have to interact with a lot of people._

Only two hours later, Frankie tells us we can go home. I put the vegetables away and start washing my hands. Tony takes his headphones off with a long sigh.

' **S** mooth night tonight, right ?' He turns to me with a smile.

' **I** gu...' My voice dies in my throat when the sound of a bullet whistles close to my ear.

Tony's face drops and he falls down, face first. I hear a few screams, but I can't move anymore. My heart stops beating and I stare at his lifeless body. I can feel warm drops running down my arm and I know I'm probably covered with Tony's blood. Three masked men carrying duffle bags appear in the kitchen and my throat is so tight, I almost gasp for air. _The clowns, again_. The shortest one steps in the middle of the kitchen and stares at us.

' **H** ands up !' he shouts aggressively.

His head turns to me and I start feeling dizzy. I raise my hands immediately and I glance at all of them, one by one. _He can't be here. It's not him._ Instinctively though, I look at the hair coming out of their masks at the back of their heads. _He's not here_.

' **O** ut' the kitchen !'

The workers start running out, their hands still in the air and the clowns just stay posted at the doors. With a silent sigh of relief, I follow the other people outside, making sure not to make eye contact with any of the armed men as I get closer to the exit. I'm about to head out when one of the clowns puts his arm out in front of me and I instantly freeze.

' **N** ot you.'

My heart starts pounding and I slowly walk back into the kitchen. _Why me again ? It's not fair..._ The phone in my back pocket feels like it's burning my skin. _If only, I could find a way to send my location to Gordon..._ The door flies open and I jump, taking a step back and gripping a nearby sink. Another "clown" comes in and looks around the kitchen rapidly, seemingly looking for something. He doesn't even seem to notice me and I wish I could dig a hole in the ground and disappear. _Could be my karma, though. This time, I might be the only one dying_. I suddenly realize with horror that the last man who entered is now standing still, staring at me. I hold my breath and look down, panic washing over me.

' **W** hat do we do with her again ?' one of the men asks, 'Shall we take her to...'

Gunshots start firing and I instinctively duck behind the sink, ears ringing. It's over in a second, but I can't bring myself to look back up. _Did he just kill his own men ? I'm not even sure... Am I having one of these nightmares that usually wake me up in the middle of the night ?_ But I know this time it's real as the smell of gunpowder fills the room. I can hear a man groaning quietly a few feet away from me and my heart is pounding in my chest.

' **D** on't be shy, _Nora_.'

I feel like my blood freezes in my veins and I close my eyes. His voice is oh-so-familiar. _It's him. He's not in Arkham, he's right here, in the kitchen with me_.

' **H** ere you _are_.' His voice sounds almost playful and I straighten back up, turning to him.

He finally takes off the mask and his painted face appears. My face has lost all colour by now and I feel like my legs are about to give out. He leans forward and stares right into my eyes. His eyes are red, kind of droopy and I can't help but wonder if he ever sleeps. Lines appear on his forehead and he's looking at me with a mocking expression.

' _ **A** ww_, I missed you too, Nora !'

I swallow hard but I don't say a word. His empty eyes are burning my skin and I feel like I'm suffocating. _I need to get a grip, I can't let him intimidate me so easily_.

' **Y** ou know, you should ermm... _smile_ more.' He tilts his head slightly to the side while nodding rapidly.

I look at him in the eyes, but I'm not sure what he expects from me. He licks his red lips and all trace of humour suddenly disappears from his face.

' **S** mile,' he repeats, but his voice is deep and commanding this time.

Swallowing my pride, I try to smile as best I can. _It probably looks more like a grimace, but he seems satisfied with it_. His gloved fingers pinch my chin and his scarred mouth stretches in a wide smile again.

' **A** nd I was worried that you would, uh...hold a _grudge_ against me.' His high-pitched voice makes me wince and he chuckles quietly. 'But _no_! I can tell, you're _happy_ to see me !'

I hold my breath when all of a sudden, he leans forward. His smell invades my nostrils again and I do my best not to wince when a strand of his hair brushes my cheek.

' **A** nd look at this _beautiful_ smile,' he drawls in a raspy voice.

My jaw tightens and I try not to react to his words. I can hear one of the men is still alive, rolling on the floor, moaning in pain but I try not to look at him either. The Joker notices him too and he turns around with a sigh.

' **W** ill you _please_ shut up ?' he lets out in an impatient tone, walking up to him.

I gasp when he suddenly fires the gun, putting the dying man out of his misery. He snarls and leans slightly over the dead body. 'Thank you.'

 _I don't understand what's going on..._ I keep a firm grip on the sink for support and I start feeling nauseous.

' **H** ow did you escape ?' I let out through gritted teeth.

He raises his eyebrows, seemingly surprised to even hear the sound of my voice.

' **U** hh. I just... _walked out_ ?' he replies sarcastically, 'Easy really. Money, promesses, threats. You know, people are so predictable and... _boring_. They all want the same, _meaningless_ things, so it's easy to have them do what you want.'

' **B** ut why did you just kill your own men ?' I can't help but ask.

 _I need to shut up. I don't really care why he killed them anyway. It's just a pathetic attempt at buying more time before the inevitable happens_. Pretending to think intensely, he looks up, licking the corners of his mouth.

' **U** h...' He scrunches up his nose. 'They became a... _liability_.' He adds, raising his gun again.

I take a step back but I only manage to bump into the counter behind me. _This is it_. The Joker takes a few steps towards me, still aiming at me.

' **T** ell me _one_ thing before I pull the trigger.' He licks his lips and waves the gun towards me. 'Why weren't you all, uh, _dressed up_ for that night, hmm ?'

I look at him for a few seconds without answering. _Why does it even matter ?_

' **I** -I wasn't supposed to be there,' I finally reply weakly.

He's still looking at me with his eyebrows raised, waiting for me to continue.

' **I** was pushed into going. It's usually not my... _thing_ at all.'

' **S** o, _you_...' He points at me again and takes another step forward. '...did it to _mock_ them.'

 _Not exactly... well, not at all. I'd only done it because of the date with Dan, it had nothing to do with the people at the charity_. I don't say anything though and I let him continue. He pauses and looks at me, gun still raised.

' **Y** ou know what ? I _like_ that.' He looks at me up and down and adjusts his collar. 'I might just _take_ you with me.'

 _And kill me later..._ I hold my breath as he steps closer, once again, too close for my liking. I'm not sure if he simply has no notion of personal space or if it's just to intimidate me. He reaches for my back pocket and takes my phone before shoving it in his own pocket.

' **B** e a doll and grab a bag, will ya ?'

I need a second before being able to move. _I can't believe this is happening again_. _.. but at least I'm alive for now._ He throws the gun away on the floor and picks up three bags while I grab the last one. It's heavier than I thought but as I'm lifting it up, I can't help but stare at all the guns lying on the floor. _It would be so easy to just take one and..._

' **C** ome on.'

He pushes me through the emergency exit and that's when I hear the police sirens. My heart jumps in my chest, but the Joker doesn't seem phased at all. A black van is parked right in front of the exit and he opens the back doors, casually whistling while throwing the bags in.

' **G** et in.'

I climb in the van without protesting and the doors immediately slam shut. _This is bad_. The cold air makes me shiver and I glance at the dark alley through the windshield. The Joker jumps behind the wheel and growls before turning the key in the ignition. The engine starts revving and he reverses the vehicle to get back on the main road. As we're driving away, I see the police lights through the rear-view window. _Too late..._ I sit down, defeated. _Nobody's coming to save me this time_.

' **W** hy did you go to that restaurant ?' I try to make sense of it.

The Joker chuckles and glances at me through the metal cage.

' **T** hat's _hard_ _ly_ a restaurant,' he retorts.

 _Why ?_ I decide not to insist though.

' **O** ops, _sorry_ !' The van swerves aggressively and he waves at the car next to him with a chuckle.

I can hear a loud crash sound behind us and he starts laughing hysterically. _He's going to kill us_. My fingers are wrapped so tightly around my seat that I've lost all sensation in them.

' **O** h, sweet Nora. So... _innocent,_ ' he draws the words out, as we're entering the freeway, 'The, uh... _restaurant_ is just a cover-up for the Mob.'

 _Oh... the Mob. Of course_.

' **Y** ou need to see how people _really_ are,' he starts again but his eyes are focused on the road now, 'They call _me_ crazy but _they_ are the craziest, even with, uh, their _pathetic_ little rules. You can't see it now, but you will. I'll _show_ you.'

 _What is he talking about ?_   I try not to panic and take a deep, shaky breath. The van starts speeding up and I glance regretfully at a tall building in the distance. _Wayne Tower_. I shake my head and wrap my arms around myself, fear creeping up around me like a mist.


	3. Late night ride

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hiya ! I hope y'all doing good ;)  
> Here's chapter 3... Excuse all the mistakes you'll probably find in this... I'm seriously sleep deprived !  
> Also I'll be updating every week from now on. I hope you enjoy ! Love x

                                                             

 

 _Why isn't the police after him ? We've been driving for a good twenty minutes and I was certain the drive would turn into a police chase, but… no. We're getting away and the little hope I had has vanished now._ I'm sitting in the back seat, staring at the floor and I haven't pronounced a word. The Joker has been muttering things under his breath, chuckling from time to time and his strange behaviour has made me really uncomfortable. Though, I'm grateful he's acting like I'm not even there, the lump in my throat is slowly choking me. _Where is he taking me ? Am I going to die tonight…and how ?_ I shiver in my t-shirt and I really wish I had my coat. _Does someone even know I've been kidnapped ? Probably not._ As my random thoughts start going wild, I see the Joker roll down his window from the corner of my eye. _Great._ The freezing wind blows into the car and goosebumps appear painfully on my skin.

I try to recognize the streets outside, but it's pointless. I know I've never been in this part of Gotham before. The streets are poorly lit anyway and I can't see much details through the cage separating the front and back seats. I take a long silent breath, my heart beating faster and I put my hands between my trembling thighs in an attempt to warm them. My legs are shaking violently and my whole body is so stiff that my muscles start to hurt.

' **D** on't be so _scared,_ ' he interrupts my worried thoughts abruptly.

I lift my eyes and meet his in the rear-view mirror. I avert my stare immediately, my reaction making him chuckle. I can still feel his empty eyes on me but I keep mine on the floor.

' **A** re you _really_ not gonna thank me ?' he continues, his eerie voice floating in the vehicle.

I shift uncomfortably in my seat. _I really don't want to talk, but I guess ignoring him isn't the best option_.

' **W** hat for ?' I let out weakly.

' **U** hh, the _gift,_ ' he says, faking an offended expression, 'Usually when I give presents, they're a _liittle_ bit more… _explosive_ !'

He chuckles again and I swallow hard. _The phone_.

' **T** hank you,' I say simply, before growing quiet again.

 _My life is more important than my pride_. He smacks his lips and my heart jumps when the vehicle suddenly slows down. He makes a left turn and starts driving slowly into a dark alleyway. When the van stops completely, I hold my breath and wait anxiously. The Joker makes a low grunting sound and jumps out of the vehicle. I immediately stand up as the back doors open. He steps aside, silently asking me to get out, and starts unloading the bags. I just stand awkwardly behind him, the bitter cold creeping under my clothes. Teeth chattering, I glance at the empty streets with hesitation. _Should I just try to make a run for it ? He's carrying the bags, he's got no weapon that I can see and... I can run fast_. My breath becomes short as my brain starts buzzing but the sound of the doors slamming shut brings me back to reality. _I know that I'll only have one chance to escape._ _Now is not the time_.

I follow him quickly down the dark alley. _Where are we going ?_ I've noticed that he's only taken three of the bags, leaving one in the van. We make it out of the alley and I almost have to run to keep up with his long strides. He suddenly stops right next to a black car and drops the bags on the floor. I don't react fast enough and I bump into his large back, immediately placing my hands in front of me. I mutter a "sorry" and take a few steps back. He doesn't even acknowledge me but crouches next to the wheel before sticking his arm under the car. _What is he doing ?_ I look around nervously. The streets are empty, except for a drunk man across the road, seemingly talking to a lamp post while waving a bottle wrapped in a brown paper bag. The Joker suddenly gets back up with keys in his hands and picks up the bags. I can't help but give him a glance, trying to stop my body from shaking. His make up is starting to wear off in some places and it's unsettling. I know he's just a man, but the paint is his version of a mask. _Who wants to see what's behind the mask of a monster ? I don't._

' _ **H** ey_… lady…'

I hadn't realized the drunk from across the street had made his way to us but he's standing right by the car now, a toothy grin on his face. Surprisingly, the Joker doesn't even give him a glance and finishes loading the bags in the trunk. The drunk man holds onto the car and leans towards him with a grunt.

' **I** f you're done with her... I'd like to have a t...' He burps and holds his hand in front of his mouth for a second, swallowing. 'A turn.'

 _I'm wearing old clothes and I have blood on me but it doesn't seem to bother him._ I can't help the disgust twisting my features as my stomach tightens. _Doesn't he know who he is ?_ The Joker doesn't reply but slams the trunk shut. A scream of pain and the sound of glass shattering echo throughout the street and I realize the Joker just slammed the trunk on the man's fingers. He stumbles back, holding his bloody hand against his chest, moaning in pain. The Joker rolls his eyes to him and takes a step forward.

' **N** o, no, no, _no_. I am not... _done_ ,' he growls threateningly.

He grabs the man by the back of his neck and slams his head effortlessly against the car. The loud bang makes me wince and I glance at the unconscious man lying on the road.

' **I** n.' His voice makes me snap out of it and I hurry into the car.

Unfortunately, more bags are already piled on the back seats as well, forcing me to sit down in the passenger seat, next to him. I feel sick again as I shut the door and try to stay as close to it as possible. He starts the car again without a word and I can feel the stress running through my veins. _Where are we going ?_ But again, I stay quiet, not wanting to interact with him more than necessary.

After five minutes, he pulls up by the side of the road. I glance out of the window and I see a small shop across the street, the blue sign flashing brightly.

' _ **N** ow_,' the Joker starts, shoving his hand in his pocket, 'I need you to get something for me.'

I look at him nervously until he gets a piece of paper out of his pocket. He hands it to me and I take it with apprehension. The handwriting is messy and I do my best to decipher what's written. _He wants you to go... shopping for him ?_

' **F** rom that shop ?' I point at the one across the street, trying to hide the anxiety in my voice.

' _ **H** m-hm_.' He nods, adjusting his shirt.

I hesitate for a moment, not sure what to do.

' **U** hh, I don't have any… money,' I mutter rapidly, avoiding his gaze.

' _ **S** o_ ?'

 _Ok, I have to steal_. I swallow, the lump in my throat getting bigger. I can't help but ask something that I immediately regret.

' **Y** ou… trust me to go alone ?'

 _Yep, very clever_. The Joker tilts his head to the side, his eyebrows raised. He suddenly points a finger towards me and I realize he's holding a small knife.

' **G** ood point, Nora. I need to make _sure_ you're coming back.'

He suddenly jumps out of the vehicle and I open my door precipitately. He looks around him, his pursed lips accentuating the scars on his face. His eyes lock with something and I realize he's staring at a young man, maybe teenager, walking towards us, headphones on. My heart starts pounding in my chest when I catch a glimpse of the predatory look in the Joker's eyes.

' **W** ait, you don't have to…' I start nervously, but he has already turned his back to me.

To my surprise, when the teenager sees him, he doesn't seem scared but… _excited_. He takes his headphone off and stops cautiously a few feet from the Joker. I hold my breath dreadfully.

' **Y** ou're…You're the _Joker_ !' he says, staring at him with wide eyes.

' **V** ery, uh, _perceptive,_ ' the Joker comments sarcastically, 'How 'bout a little chat, _hmm_ ?'

The boy nods frantically, eyes still wide with surprise. The Joker throws his head back and gives me an expectant look.

' _ **T** ick-tock_, Nora.'

I nod rapidly, turning on my heels to face the shop. _If I don't come back with what he requested, he'll probably kill him. I don't have a choice_. I cross the road rapidly, pushing the door open. A few customers are walking around and the big guy at the counter is reading a magazine, not even lifting his eyes to look at me. I glance at the ceiling and walls, looking for any cameras. I was hoping that I would maybe appear on the security footage, if the police ever looks for me. I've never shoplifted before and the stress starts invading me. _Would it be a good thing to get caught ? Probably not_. The Joker rarely does something without having a plan b and I don't want to find out what it is. I look down at the piece of paper again. I haven't got the slightest idea what any of these things are for, but it's not my problem.

I quickly grab the items and stick them in the waistband of my trousers. Just as I'm starting to think it might be easier than I thought, I read the last thing on the list. _I think I have this in my bathroom…_ I glance at the product on the shelf and I realize the only available bottle is rather big. _Too big to hide anywhere on myself anyway. Shit_. I start looking around me in panic. _What do I do ?_ I can't go back to him with anything missing but I can't afford to get caught either. _He's probably done that on purpose…_ I rub my forehead and try to steady my breathing. _I need to think…_

' **Y** ou want it ?'

The voice makes me jump and I turn around. A tall dark-haired woman is holding the bottle I was just staring at. She's wearing a leather jacket and black leather pants and her hair is tied up in a perfect ponytail. I nod rapidly and a glint of amusement passes in her dark eyes.

' **C** ome,' she starts walking to the counter.

I hold her arm, stopping her in her tracks.

' **W** hat are you doing ?' I whisper quickly.

' **I** saw you taking the other stuff. _Relax_.' She rolls her eyes and smiles. 'Just helping you out.'

I let go of her arm and she starts walking confidently to the counter. To my surprise, she starts flirting with the man, leaning on the counter while she passes me the bottle subtly. The man is so focused on her that he doesn't even notice my presence and I sneak out the shop quickly. I thank the mysterious woman mentally and run across the road. I'm relieved to see that the boy is still alive next to the Joker who's leaning against the car, staring at me.

' **M** ade a new… _friend_ ?' He pushes himself off the car and gets closer to me.

I freeze as he snatches the bottle out of my hand, still staring at me right in the eye.

' **S** he, she just… helped me out,' I stutter anxiously.

 _Is he angry ? I can't tell_. A low grunt comes out of his throat and he slides his gloved hands under my t-shirt, without breaking eye contact. I hold my breath, the contact of the cold leather on my bare skin making me shiver. He takes the stolen goods, but his hands trail along my waist for a bit longer and I realize he's just making sure I haven't taken anything else. _Like a weapon_. That's when it strikes me that the thought didn't even cross my mind while I was in there.

' **G** o home,' he orders to the boy, while throwing the things on the back seat.

I see the teenager letting a silent sigh out but the nervous knot in my stomach doesn't unravel.

' **T** hank you, mister Joker.' He walks off, putting his headphones back on.

 _Mister Joker…_ I roll my eyes mentally. _How can he admire someone like that ? This is what's wrong with Gotham…_ I walk around the car and sit back in the passenger seat, trembling. It's getting colder and colder and I wipe my nose with the back of my hand. Through the window, I see the Joker extending his arm to open his door but he suddenly stops. He squints and tilts his head while frowning, seemingly trying to remember something important. He lifts his head and his dark eyes fall on me inside the car.

' **O** h,' he lets out in a light tone, like he just remembered it.

He blinks a few times and turns around with a blank face. As he's raising his arm, I jump in my seat with a horrified gasp. The gunshot echo through the street and I see the boy's lifeless body fall on the hard pavement. The Joker jumps behind the wheel, shifting in his seat with a chuckle.

' **W** -Why did you do that ?!' I ask, my voice shaking with anger.

 _He didn't deserve that. He was younger than me…_ My breathing quickens and I glare at him.

' **U** hh... why _not_ ?' he retorts with a sly smile.

' **I** did everything you asked ! I didn't try to escape and I came back with what you wanted,' I protest, shaking my head, 'You told me...you said...'

' **W** hat did I say exactly, Nora ? _Hmm_ ?' he cuts me off loudly, 'That I would spare this… _foolish_ boy's life if you behave ?'

Still shaking, I turn my head away and look out of the window. _He didn't say anything. He never promised not to kill him, he never said he would walk out alive. He only implied it... and I've done the rest_. I swallow my anger and tears.

' **O** h, don't be so _dramatic_ , you didn't even _know_ him,' he mocks me before focusing back on the road.

I stay silent, my stomach twisting painfully. _I feel sick. I should have told one of the customers to call the police or...something. I could have done something but I didn't_. The Joker starts whispering under his breath again and I'm seriously considering jumping out of the car.

' **W** here are we going ?' I finally take the courage to ask.

My voice is quiet and, judging by the lack of reaction, I don't think he even heard me. After all, everybody knows his fondness for dynamites and bombs, maybe he doesn't hear that well anymore.

' **W** here ar-...' I start again but this time he cuts me off straight away with a click of the tongue.

' **S** top talking. You're... _distracting_ me.'

I close my mouth quickly, looking back outside. I've stopped trying to memorize the way, I have no idea where we are. All I can see is that we've reached more of a residential area now and I notice all the big houses and tidy gardens along the empty road. _It must be late now, most lights in the houses are off_. I sniffle quietly and stare at the dried blood on my arm and the side of my t-shirt. _If only I hadn't gone to that stupid restaurant tonight and stayed home…_

The Joker parks the car in one of the driveways and I glance at the big house standing in front of us. I can see lights downstairs through the curtains and a dreadful feeling squeezes my heart. _Now what ?_ I don't bother asking this time though and I just follow him outside. As we arrive at the front door, he smoothes his hair with one hand and adjusts his suit before pressing on the doorbell. A familiar ring resonates from inside and a few seconds later, a middle-aged man in a red dressing gown opens the door.

' **E** vening,' the Joker starts, a wide smile stretching his scarred mouth, 'Any, uh… _spare_ _change_ ?'

The confusion written on the man's face is quickly replaced by horror as he recognizes the criminal. He attempts to slam the door shut but the Joker gives it a violent push, knocking the man over in the process. He steps in the house, pulling me by the elbow, still smiling.

' **C** ALL THE POLICE, ANNA !' the man shouts, trying to get back on his feet, fear twisting his face.

The Joker lets go of my arm and I back away slowly until I hit the wall behind me. _I don't want to be here. I don't want to be a witness_.

' **H** ow _ruude_ ! Look at _all_ this money you have,' he drawls, throwing his arms out while turning on his heels, 'And you can't spare _one_ dollar ?!'

' **G** et out of my house, _freak_ !' the older man tries to sound threatening, but the fear in his voice is palpable.

The Joker lets a low chuckle out and shakes his head. Without any warning, he grabs the man by the neck and sticks the blade of his knife in his mouth.

' **Y** ou know,' he starts, forcing the man to look at him, 'You remind me of my _father_ …'

All of a sudden, something metallic flashes in the corner of my eye and I instinctively duck. A large pan smashes against the wall where I was just standing and I see a tall skinny woman, eyes wide with rage.

' **L** eave him alone !' She tries to hit me with the pan again but I jump back.

' **S** top it !' I protest desperately.

 _Why is she fighting me ?! But then, choosing between the Joker or me, I'd go for me too…_ I hear a chuckle from the Joker and I manage to catch her fragile wrist before she hits me and I push her back against the wall, heart thumping painfully.

' **A** nna stop !' the man manages to say, despite the blade hovering inches away from his mouth.

The woman glances at me and the Joker back and forth, her chest rising up and down frantically. She's still pushing against me and she's so skinny I feel like I'm going to break her bones. _Why is this happening ? I just want her to stop, I'm not part of this. I would never hurt them…_

' **L** ook at your woman _fighting_ for you !' The Joker chuckles and shoves one of his hand in his pocket. 'Step aside, _beautiful_.'

 _Is he going to kill them ?_ The Joker clears his throat and I realize he's looking at me now.

' **I** 'm talking to _you_ , Nora.'

 _Oh_. I immediately take a step back, still looking at the woman, making sure she doesn't pounce on me again. Then, there's a light whistle cutting through the air and I see blood. A small knife is now stuck in her throat, blood pouring out of the wound.

' **N** OOOO !' the man cries out.

 _No, no, no_. I quickly grab the woman by the arm as she starts tumbling over and I lie her on the floor. I try to put my hands around the knife to stop the bleeding but I already know it's pointless.

' **S** orry, I'm so sorry,' I whisper as she's gurgling now, clutching desperately at my shoulder.

The blood is pouring out between my fingers, the blade stuck right in her carotid. _What do I do ?! What am I supposed to do ?_

' **H** ave I got your _attention_ now ?' The Joker turns his head to the husband.

I see him drop to the floor before scrambling to the wall, choked sobs escaping his lips. The tears start pooling in my eyes and my heart tightens painfully. _I don't want to see that_. The Joker sighs and stomps his right foot.

' **N** ever mind,' he grunts impatiently.

To my horror, I see a small blade popping out of the sole of his shoe and he kicks the man in the throat with it. I gasp and close my eyes, struggling to breathe. I hear another gurgling sound and I squeeze my eyes shut. _This is a nightmare. But I can't wake up._

I hear his footsteps getting closer to me but I can't get myself to look up. He walks past me and heads back out, but I can't move. He's back a few seconds later with a bag and I hear the door slam shut.

' **N** ora ?' His voice is right above me but I don't react. 'Sorry to uh… _break it_ to you, but...she's _dead_.'

I realize that I'm still pressing on the wound and I withdraw my shaky hands slowly.

' **W** hy do you kill innocent people ?' My mouth is so dry I'm struggling to talk.

' **O** h... _innocent_ is a funny word,' he hisses, grabbing my elbow roughly.

He lifts me up carelessly and I stand back up, legs shaking.

' **Y** ou didn't have the right to do that to them !' I protest, my voice sounding higher than usual.

He looks at my wet cheeks and his stare locks back to mine. My anger starts dissipating as fear takes over again. Under the bright light, I can now clearly see his scars, the worn out paint on his face and his dirty hair.

' **Y** ou're angry because it's not… _fair_ ? These, uh…' He waves nonchalantly at the dead couple. '...people have done some very _bad_ things, but nobody cares ! See, the law isn't fair either, Nora, but _you_ choose to follow it !' He licks his lips rapidly and shakes his head a few times. 'Stop thinking. Don't be like one of them, they're _weak_. Don't hide behind _rules_ to just, uh, _blend in_ with the rest of the people. They're only as good as the world allows them to be.'

He leans closer and I step back almost instantly, my back hitting the door. I have no interest in trying to prove my point to him. _I just want to make it out alive_. He's waiting for me to say something but I have nothing to say. He finally steps away from me and I take a deep breath.

' **A** re we staying here ?' I glance at the bag in the hallway.

I follow him to the living room with a few hesitant steps. He sets the bag on the huge couch and starts inspecting everything.

' _ **H** m-hm_.' He nods, opening a few drawers roughly. 'Why don't you, uh… have a shower or something ?'

 _A shower ?_ I furrow my brows. After witnessing their murder, having a shower in these people's home seems wrong. _But at least I could get rid of the blood_.

' **O** k.'

He points at a door and I wonder how he already knows where it is. _He kidnapped me… so why is he offering me to have a shower ? That seems odd… Or maybe he's just trying to get me out of his hair while he plans the next move_. I hurry to the bathroom and shut the door. I rest my back against it, my heart pounding in my chest. The tears roll silently while I try to keep it together. _I can't break down now_. I swallow my tears back and look around me. Without surprise, I note that the two windows are too small for me to use as an escape plan.

The water hits me and I let a silent sob out while trying to wash as fast as possible. The heat feels good on my skin but unfortunately, it can't wash off the fear I'm experiencing. I rub the soap on my arms, trying to get rid of the dried blood and I can feel my own skin breaking under my dirty nails. I try not to let my mind focus on my situation. I try to ignore the fact that the towel I'm using belongs to the people murdered in the hallway. I try to forget about the guilt growing slowly in my heart. _I try but I fail_. I put my bloodied clothes back on and open the cabinet quietly. _I need something this time. Who knows how long I have left until he gets bored of me…_ I opt for the small pair of scissors and hide it in the waistband of my trousers. I take a deep breath and wipe my damp cheeks. I walk quietly back to the living room through the open kitchen and I find the Joker sitting on the couch, leaning over a big map laid out on the coffee table. His dark eyes glance at me as soon as I appear in the doorway and I just stand awkwardly by the sink in the kitchen.

' **Y** ou know, while you were uh… _in there_.' He locks eyes with me. 'I started having _thoughts_. Here I am, minding my own business, while she could be in there, _plotting_ to kill me !' He chuckles and straightens himself up. 'But you wouldn't do that… _would you_ ?'

His nasal voice floats in the room and I shake my head with a blank face. The corners of his scarred mouth twitch slightly and I hold his stare as he's now stepping towards me.

' **T** ell me, _Nora,_ ' he starts in a raspy voice.

 _And here he is, invading my personal space again_. He's towering a good foot over me and my confidence starts fading away. I notice a new different smell on him almost immediately. _It smells of something very familiar. I know it but I can't put my finger on it_. His close presence and the strong chemical smell makes me slightly dizzy.

' **H** ave you brought _anything_ from the bathroom ?' he asks straightforwardly.

' **N** o,' I lie.

His tongue slides slowly over his teeth, poking at the scars. I try to keep my eyes locked into his but I feel like his stare is trying to see… _inside me_. I do my best to keep my feet glued to the floor as he leans really close.

' **Y** ou're _lying,_ ' he whispers straight in my ear.

My heart skips a beat but I try not to show it.

' **I** 'm not,' I insist.

' **T** hen why are you all... _nervous_ ?' He squints, studying my face intensely. 'Oh, is it the _scars_ ? Wanna know how I got 'em ?'

' **I** 'd rather not,' I reply truthfully.

Without any warning, he places his hand on my waist and my body freezes in confusion. When I realize why he's doing it, it's already too late. My eyes shoot wide as he snatches the pair of scissors from my waistband, cutting my skin in the process. _How did he know ?!_ I gasp as he's holding the scissors over my lips now, a low growl coming out of his throat.

' **I** 'm sorry...' I let out precipitately.

' **N** o, you're _not,_ ' he cuts me off, grabbing my chin with his other hand, 'Why do u _lie_ to me, hmm ?' He slides one blade into my mouth, slightly pinching my skin and my heart is in my throat. 'Why would you ruin such an… _interesting_ night ?'

I swallow uneasily but, to my relief, he takes a step back and I feel like I can breathe again.

' **W** hat would you do with _them_ anyway ?' He scoffs while examining the scissors. 'Slit my throat or… _plunge_ them into my heart ?' he snarls mockingly, ' _No_... If you really wanted me dead, you could have done… _more_.' He licks his lips again and rolls his eyes. 'I mean, you could have _tried_.'

He throws the pair of scissors in the sink with a loud clunk.

' **S** top wasting my time.' He turns around and sits back down.

My whole body is shaking with nerves. I thought that I crossed the line with this one but... for some obscure reason, I'm still breathing. _Is he bored ?_ _I'm sure he could have chosen a better "victim" than me_. _I'm nothing special. Why is he keeping me ?_

' **I** f you're just gonna… _stand_ there, at least make yourself useful,' he retorts with an impatient sigh, 'A cup of coffee.'

I look at the coffee maker on the counter. _Did he just make it ?_ I fill a cup before hesitating. _Should I just pour myself one ?_ I glance at the Joker who's now scribbling things on the map, chuckling quietly. I pour myself a cup and bring his to the table. I put it down and he grabs my wrist almost instantly.

' **S** it down,' he orders, pulling me down next to him.

I sit quietly and try not to stare at the map in front of me. It's tempting but I don't want to do or see something I'm not supposed to. He turns the tv on, not even lifting his eyes off the map. GCN Channel is on and I glance at the screen. My heart stops completely when I realize what's on. Even the Joker lifts his head and turns the volume up.

' _ **E** arlier tonight, Gio's restaurant has been raided by a group of men wearing clown masks. The owner and his family, plus two waiters on their break have survived the attack. The customers and the other workers have been gunned down as they were told to evacuate the building. The police has confirmed that the attack was orchestrated by the Joker, who escaped Arkham Asylum only two days ago. The following footage was captured at the back of the restaurant_.'

My eyes grow wide as I see the Joker loading the bags into the van and a dark small figure next to him. _Me_. But the image is bad and too blurry to recognize anything and during the whole footage, my back is turned to the security camera. The only recognizable thing is the Joker's painted face staring right at it. The two reporters come back on the screen. The Joker chuckles and reports his attention to the map.

' _ **A** s you can see in the images, a hostage goes into the vehicle with him before they leave the place a few seconds later. The hostage's identity has been confirmed by the GCPD as Nora Wilde, a young woman who was working in the kitchen at the time. There seems to be a pattern here, as the police has released the identity of the only survivor of the Goldberg's Gala attack and confirmed it was, indeed, the same woman_.'

I feel like my whole world crumbles and I can't move, my hands clutching at my knees. _That's it. What I feared the most happened_. Considering my predicament, I shouldn't care about that anymore but I do. _Just in case I survive. But it's not all_. A second video starts and my breath gets caught in my throat. _It's me, at the shop_.

' _ **A** second footage has been released by the police showing the young woman, unharmed and seemingly shoplifting while wearing a shirt covered in blood. The Joker doesn't seem to appear in the footage, which raises a few questions, right, Frank ?_ '

The footage stops and the reporters appear on the screen again.

' _ **I** ndeed, there are a few suspicious details that we'll focus on later. Maybe the police will have to treat her as a potential suspect and not a victim. Call the police to report a sighting but remember, do not approach_.'

The Joker turns the tv off abruptly and I get up slowly. My throat is so tight, I feel like I'm going to choke. I walk up to the counter to reach my cup of cold coffee and I chug it down. _Rose will find out now and it'll kill her_.

' **S** ee that, Nora ? _See_ how they treat you now ?' he taunts me, getting up slowly.

My mind goes foggy and I shake my head. _I'm in shock, I can't even talk anymore_. My legs start shaking and I have to grasp the counter with both hands.

' **S** omething, uh… _wrong_ ?'

I hear the Joker right next to me. My vision gets blurry and I look around in confusion. _What's happening to me ?_ I glance at my cup and then at his one on the table. _He hasn't touched it_.

' **Y** ou…d-drugged me,' I let out weakly, my legs shaking violently.

' **W** ho...  _me_ ?' His nasal voice resonates in my head but I can't see his face clearly anymore. ' _M_ _aybe_.'

Black spots start clouding my vision and I feel my legs giving out. I expect the impact of the hard floor, but it never comes. Instead, I feel his arms cushioning the fall and my mind shuts down completely.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading ! Stay safe <3


	4. Hostile

                                                           

 

**_20 years ago_ **

 

_' **S** he still hasn't said a word !'_

_' **P** oor girl… I don't know how she's coping…'_

_' **I** don't think she is… How can you be normal again when your family died right next to you and all you got is a broken wrist…?'_

_' **I** would have rather died with them…'_

_' **S** hh… Don't say that…'_

_The incessant whispers are echoing through the quiet room and the little girl is sitting still on the couch, listening. They probably don't realize that she can hear them so she just stares at the old clock without a word. There's a large group of unfamiliar faces, studying her every move, shooting her some pitiful looks. The vultures… her aunty calls them. They're not here to pay their respects, they're here to get the full story with every morbid detail. From the corner of her eye, the girl sees her aunt rushing towards them._

_' **H** ave some respect… I can hear you from all the way over there !' The woman's piercing eyes could shoot daggers._

_All the eyes turn to the little girl again but she's still staring at the clock. She can hear the words "psychiatrist", "therapy" and a bunch of other words she doesn't understand._

_' **S** he'll take all the time she needs and there's absolutely nothing wrong with this ! Now, if you'll excuse me…'_

_The woman arranges her black hair with a pin and walks up to the girl, a warm smile replacing her angry expression._

_' **L** et's go.' She extends her hand. 'There's your favourite pie waiting for you at home…'_

_After taking her hand, the girl follows her aunt through the living room, all eyes on them. They finally make their way out of the huge house, relieved to get away from the heavy atmosphere. The woman squeezes the little girl against her, placing a soft kiss on top of her head._

_' **Y** ou're going to be ok, Nora… I promise you.'_

__________________________________

__________________________________

 

My senses seem to come back one at a time and I'm quickly greeted by a splitting headache and severe nausea. _Like a really bad hangover I guess_. My eyelids feel so heavy that my eyes struggle to stay open. I'm sitting in a chair and I can feel something restraining my chest, stopping me from being able to take a deep breath. My vision finally gets clearer and my heart jumps in my chest. I'm tied to the chair with heavy chains and I look at my surroundings in panic. The adrenaline rush makes my ears buzz and I try to wriggle out of the chains unsuccessfully. It looks like I'm in an abandoned building and the putrid smell almost makes me gag. _Where am I ? Where is he ?_ My heart is beating so fast, I honestly feel like I'm dying. The tears quickly fill my eyes. _What drug did he give me ?_ I try not to let the panic take over, but it's hard to focus on anything. I grunt desperately and try to move around in the chair. Weirdly, my arms are loosely tied, so I let my hands run along the chains, looking for the lock. _Found it. It's a combination lock_. That's when I spot the playing card stuck on my chest. My coordination is so bad that I need a minute to actually being able to peel it off from my top. _It's the joker card. Of course_. I flip it around and find another piece of paper stuck on it. I unfold it with shaky hands and I recognize his messy handwriting immediately.

_**You're free ! I know you'll find your way out. And when you do, ask yourself… who do I trust ? The public ? The GCPD ?** _

_**The clock is ticking… I'd get out of here fast if I were you !** _

I squint when I realize there's a long list of names. My heart skips a beat when I read a familiar one : _Derren Miles_ … I squeeze my eyes shut, then blink a few times. _What does that mean ? Are all these people...with him ? Maybe it's just a mind game to stop me from calling the police_. I crumple up the piece of paper and throw it on the floor. _Back to that lock… How am I supposed to find the combination ? Wait… he's assuming that I will find it, so… that means I already have it. Yep. Sitting on my coffee table right now_. I try to shift in the chair, but it only makes the chains dig deeper in my skin.

' **I** don't remember the numbers…' I whisper in a weak voice, like he could hear me, 'I don't.'

I close my eyes and try to focus but my mind is foggy. I can feel the drug still in my system and… _5\. It starts with 5_.

Minutes pass… _maybe hours ?_ I don't have a watch to track the time, but I know I've been here for way too long already. He said the clock was ticking. _What's going to happen if I don't make it out in time ?_ A sudden cold feeling runs through my veins when I start letting the fear flood my brain again. _He could come back and...end it. Or what if he's implying that there's a bomb in the building ?_

' **5** , 17...20,' I repeat again out loud, shutting my eyes.

I'm starting to feel like I'm going to faint again but I fight it. _I'm not giving up now_. I wipe the drops of sweat forming on my forehead with my left shoulder.

' **6** 4... Yes, 64.'

I try the combination for what seems like the hundredth time, but this time, it clicks open. _Yes !_ My heart starts pounding and I wriggle out of the chains with relief. A tear rolls down my cheek as I shake my feet and the heavy chains fall on the floor. _I made it !_

As soon as I stand on my feet though, the world seems to spin uncontrollably and the nausea feeling hits me all in once. I fall on my knees and finally allow myself to vomit. As I wipe my mouth with a shaky hand, I notice a small box under the chair. I crawl to it and open it without hesitating. _No time for this anymore_. I open the cardboard box and find a small pocket knife. I stop the flow of questions in my head straight away and shove the small weapon into my pocket. _I need to get out of here_. I get back on my feet carefully and take a deep breath but the moldy smell fills my lungs, so I quickly exit the room, trying not to gag again. I stop when I arrive in front of a steep flight of stairs leading downstairs and I let a sigh out. _I haven't gone through all this to just fall down the stairs and break my neck_. I basically hug the railing with both arms and start making my way down, legs shaking weakly.

After crossing another room, I finally reach the main entrance. I can hear traffic in the distance and the familiar noise is reassuring. I push the door open and step outside. The light and the noise make me slightly dizzy and I have to lean against the wall, rubbing my forehead. The initial whirlwind of confusion has subsided quite quickly but the drowsiness remains. _Where am I ?_ The streets are… _different_. The old and decrepit houses seem to be barely standing and a strong sewage smell is floating in the air. I look at the passers-by and then I realize that I can easily guess where I am. _The Narrows_. A shiver runs through my body and I try not to panic. _What now ?_ _I know I should call the police but how can I trust them ? What if my 'freedom' is just a twisted game and the Joker is waiting for me around the corner ?_ I look around me, paranoia taking over again. _I can't call them…_ The only person I consider more or less trustworthy is Gordon, but I don't have his number. There's only one thing to do… _Go to the GCPD myself to find him_.

I start walking down the alley, head bowed, trying to blend in with the rest of the people. I'm still wearing my bloodied t-shirt and trousers and my hair is seriously tangled. _At best, I must look like a crazy person, which is fine by me. Hopefully nobody bothers me and I can get out of here fast_. After a few minutes of walking randomly, I spot a pile of dirty clothes on the floor. I crouch and start going through them. I grab a large black hoodie and quickly put it on. _It stinks of smoke and mold but I need it_. I've probably just stolen clothes from a homeless person, I think shamefully. I zip it up anyway and put the hood on. _Perfect_. The oversized hoodie covering me gives me a false sense of security. I shove my hands in the pockets, where the knife is now resting. _Just in case_. I quickly notice that I'm just walking in circles and I could spend all day doing that. However, when I glance at the people that cross my path, I wouldn't want them to notice me. _No way I'm asking directions to them…_

Another wave of nausea hits me and I quickly stumble down a small alleyway. The bile burns my throat like pure acid and my head is pounding again. My whole body is shaking and I have to sit on the floor before I collapse.

' **S** hit,' I whisper weakly, holding my head with my hands.

' **B** ad day ?'

A hoarse voice to my right makes me jump. It belongs to an old man sitting next to me, half-hidden by a pile of garbage. He's missing an eye and I avert my stare as soon as I notice the nasty scar.

' **Y** eah,' I reply simply.

He hands me a half-empty bottle of whiskey and I shake my head rapidly. Just the thought of it makes my stomach churn and I swallow hard. _I need water_. I get back up slowly and give the old man a nod before heading back out of the alley. I should be more careful but my head is still spinning and I feel dizzy.

I keep walking in the hope of finding a map of the neighbourhood somewhere but I don't seem to have much luck. I stop in my tracks when I notice a phone booth across the street. _Should I call Rose ? No...no. I'm not ready to talk to her_. _I don't have any change anyway_. I sigh and glance behind me. My heart jumps when I spot the old man from earlier, staring at me without a smile. An uncomfortable feeling grows inside me and I resume walking, faster this time. My throat is tight and I feel a few drops of sweat pearling on my temples. I turn my head again, glancing over my shoulder. _Yep, he's definitely following me_. I can't walk faster though, my wobbly legs are already going as fast as they possibly can. Just as I'm about to let the panic get the better of me, a black sports car pulls up right next to me on the road. I almost jump back, ready to draw the knife when the window rolls down.

' **N** eed a ride ?'

I blink a few times, confused, but when I catch a glimpse of the old man getting closer, I don't hesitate. I quickly shut the door and glance at the driver. _It's the girl who helped me at the shop the night before_.

' **S** ee that old man following you ?' she starts the car and I quickly nod, 'He looks harmless but, _boy_ , he isn't. He kills his victims, rapes them and then… _eats_ them,' she adds with a shiver.

I frown in disgust but decide not to comment on that.

' **H** ow did you recognize me ?' I ask instead.

One corner of her mouth stretches and she shrugs her shoulders.

' **I** _may_ have been following you for the last five minutes. So, is it true what they said on the news ? The Joker really kidnapped you ?'

' **Y** eah.'

She nods her head and reports her attention back on the road.

' **H** ow did you escape ?'

' **H** e let me out.'

' _ **R** eally_ ?' She furrows her brows, glancing at me with piercing eyes.

I nod again and look out the window. _I know I'm in a stranger's car right now and there's absolutely no guarantee I can trust her, but I don't care_. All my muscles can finally relax and I have to fight the urge to fall asleep.

' **S** o where are you going now ?' she asks, still staring at the road.

' **P** olice station.' I sigh before lolling back in my seat. 'Thanks for this.'

She nods her head with another smile and I see her shifting from the corner of my eye.

' **H** ave it.' She hands me a bottle that she just retrieved from under her seat. 'It's just _water_.' She adds when she sees my hesitation.

 _Is it safe to drink that ? Definitely not. But I'm going to pass out if I don't_. I gulp down the water and the cool liquid running down my throat feels amazing. I see the bridge appear in the distance and relief washes over me. _I might, just might, actually make it…_

We drive over the bridge in silence until her phone starts ringing loudly, getting a quiet 'shit' out of her.

' **W** hat ?' she snaps in an annoyed tone as she takes the call.

I see her roll her eyes impatiently.

' **F** ine.' She hangs up and sighs loudly.

' **S** omeone else needs saving ?'

She chuckles lightly before nodding.

' **P** retty much, yeah. Is that ok if I drop you off on the other side ? Too much traffic downtown.'

' **O** f course.'

_I'm grateful to be out of the Narrows without a scratch. I don't know what I would have done without her…_

As soon as we've crossed the bridge, she pulls up on the side of the road.

' **T** hank you for everything.' I exit the vehicle.

' **W** alk straight down that road and you'll find the police station. Good luck.' She winks at me with a wave.

As soon as I shut the door, she makes a dangerous U-turn and speeds off. _Maybe it would have been polite to ask her name…_ I take another mouthful of water and start walking. I feel safer now, even if the sun is slowly setting. _I'm closer to safety_.

After ten minutes, my legs are barely supporting me and I have to take a break and drink another mouthful. I'm standing in front of a bar and I lean against the wall, taking a few deep breaths. I can hear loud conversations and laughs coming from inside and my heart tightens. _I wish I was feeling like this right now…_ The volume of the TV inside increases and I can't help but listening to it absently. I hear the bar growing suddenly really quiet and I frown.

_' **T** he following footage has just been received here at...'_

_It's the news._ I turn around and step closer to the open door. There's a crowd gathered in front of the bar counter, all looking up at the large screen and I lift my eyes with curiosity. A news reporter is talking, hands folded in front of him.

_' **S** ensible viewers, be aware, the image is disturbing.'_

The footage starts and my eyes immediately widen in horror. A man appears, tied up on a chair, the same way I was, except he already has many bruises and a large cut on his forehead.

**'Tell them your name.'**

My breath gets caught in my throat as soon as I hear _his_ voice. _He's the one holding the camera._

**'An-Anthony... Garcia.'**

The camera shakes and the Joker turns it around to face him.

**'Today I've been very… _generous_. I've let one of my, uh… _hostages_ free. But I'm getting really, _really_ bored of our mayor here. So, I've changed my mind !'**

He chuckles and the camera shakes as if he's pacing around.

**'Tonight at seven, I'm gonna get my lost little lamb _back_ !' His voice lowers. 'I'm gonna chase her around this _craazy_ city. I'm gonna hunt her down… and… _slaughter_ her.'**

His voice turns dangerously low **.**

**'Don't get in my way or… I'll kill you. Do you hear, _Batman_ ?'**

The camera moves closer until it stops right in front of his dark eyes.

**'Wanna come out and… _play_ ?'**

Another chuckle comes out of his chest and the shaking almost stops. He brings the camera lower and all I can see now is his scarred mouth messily smeared with red.

 **'Oh, and, _Nora_ …'** he drawls. **'How _fast_ can you run ?'**

An evil laugh booms out of the TV, the camera shakes violently and the image stops.

I'm staring at the reporter back on the screen but I can't hear him anymore. _He's after me_. My feet are glued to the floor and I can't seem to realize what's happening. I'm so shocked that I don't notice the people starting to look over their shoulder. Soon, a few fingers are pointing at me.

' **I** t's _her_ , look !'

I stare at them with a blank look. _He never intended to let me go. He just wanted to make it fun for him. Using me as bait…_ Inside, I see a man running to the door and shutting it in my face while shooting me a worried look. I take a few steps back. My heart is pounding in my chest and I look around.

' **O** k… ok,' I whisper to myself.

I see a woman walking in the distance and I quickly catch up with her.

' **H** ave you got the time, please ?' My voice comes out shaky and weak.

The woman gives me a quick up and down look and clutches her bag.

' **N** o.' She quickly walks away from me.

' **I** just need the time,' I whisper, looking around me desperately.

I've noticed the traffic has dramatically decreased and only a few passers-by are still out. _There's a shop across the street. Yes_. I press my nose against the glass window and I spot a clock on the wall. _7.15_. My heart beats painfully and my breathing becomes erratic.  _Why is this happening to me ?_ The sound of gunshots in the distance makes me gasp in horror. _He's coming_.

I start running as fast as I can through the streets of Gotham. I can see people recognizing me and running the opposite direction. Nobody helps me or stops me. _I'm alone_. My lungs hurt like hell but the adrenaline allows me to run as fast as possible. The gunshots are getting closer. _It has to be him. And he's following me. How does he even know where I'm going ?!_ I glance over my shoulder in panic but I can't see anybody. As I arrive in front of the theater, I have to stop and as soon as I do, everything around me starts spinning. I'm gasping for air but I try to think quickly. _I have to hide. I can't run anymore, I physically can't_. A hysterical laughter followed by a few rapid gunshots echo from a nearby street and my heart twists painfully.

' **N** o, no, no. _Focus,_ ' I'm telling myself, the tears filling my eyes.

I cross the street to reach a tall building under renovation I've just noticed. _It might be open_. I basically throw myself against the door and open it, stumbling into the building. I head for the stairs as fast as possible. I have to use my hands not to fall over and I reach the first floor surprisingly fast. I walk clumsily down the long dark hallway, constantly checking over my shoulder. I turn right and enter a big room surrounded by glass walls. My heart stops and I freeze in my tracks. A man sitting on a chair is tied up in the middle of the room, a dirty cloth covering his eyes. His chin is resting on his chest and I'm not sure he's still breathing.

_' **N** oraaaa.'_

My heart tightens in fear. The familiar voice comes from the hallway I've just been in and I gasp quietly. _How has he found me already ?!_ Before I can think further, I hear a loud gunshot and the window behind me shatters in pieces. Acting on pure instinct, I dart out from behind the desk.

' _ **T** here_ you are… Sneaky, _little_ Nora.'

I duck down behind a few boxes before running further down the next hallway, tripping and falling on my knees a few times. As I get back up painfully, the next bullet barely misses my arm and I duck again behind the next pile of boxes. Breathless, feeling like my heart is going to explode, I lean my back against the wall and I shut my eyes. _It's over. The nightmare is coming to an end, I can stop trying. Maybe this is supposed to happen._ I hear his footsteps approaching and my breath gets caught in my throat.

Finally, the Joker appears around the corner. His thick coat is dirty and his purple shirt is smeared in blood. The make up is rubbing off and a creepy smirk appears on his face.

' **Y** ou were _good_ today.' He chuckles, taking another step forward.

He licks his lips and shakes his head rapidly.

' **J** ust _not_ good enough.' He lifts his chin and the smirk disappears.

I had imagined that when we'd come to this point where he's holding my life in his hands again, survival instinct would kick in. _But nothing will get me out of here_. So I just look at him and I know that my head is shaking almost imperceptibly but for once, I don't avert my stare. I count the seconds and his finger rests on the trigger, ready to pull it. I hold my breath. _But he doesn't_. Instead, his finger twitches and then freezes on the trigger again. _It may only last for a millisecond but I see it_. I hear a low grunting sound coming out of his throat and his jaw clenches almost violently. His angry eyes are glaring at me but he doesn't say a word.

Before I can even move, a large shadow suddenly pounces on him and sends him flying a few feet away. A grunt of pain followed by a loud cackle echo through the building.

' **A** nd here is… the _Batman_ !'

The dark figure straightens back up, his cape falling silently on his back and I know that the order he gives next is directed at me.

**'Run.'**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stay safe ! x


	5. The host

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey my lovelies! Hope you all doing good ;)  
> This chapter took me a bit longer than I expected. Also, I haven't had time to correct it yet, I'll go through it again in the next fews days.  
> Next chapter is already half-written so it shouldn't take too long... I hope you enjoy it ! <3

                                                                  

 

As the cold air hits me again, I stumble on the uneven pavement before crossing the road. My lungs are burning and I feel my heart beating uncomfortably in my throat. I can hear loud noises, glass shattering coming from the building I've just left but I don't even look back. _I need to get away from here. Hopefully, the mayor is still alive and Batman can save him from the Joker_. A sudden flash of pain stops me in my tracks and I have to hold onto a lamp post not to fall. _I can't do this anymore. I don't even know where I'm going_. My vision is so blurry that the dark streets all look the same and I feel like my brain is being pulled into the darkness. It's only when a car slows down a few feet behind me that I realize I'm walking in the middle of the road. I get back on the sidewalk, breathless. _Do not faint now._

_' **M** iss Wilde !'_

I furrow my brows and turn around, blinking a few times. A black luxury car has just pulled up next to me and I try to make out the face of the man who's talking to me. His features are familiar but my brain can't process anything else.

 _' **Q** uickly !'_ the man insists with a worried face, holding the door open.

Putting aside any question that might pop up in my foggy mind, I stagger towards the vehicle and accept the hand reaching for me. The warmth of the car envelops me in a safe embrace and I let my eyes slowly shut. I can hear the old man's voice but I don't understand him. The strong scent of expensive leather is all I can smell as I feel my whole body slide against the seat. This time I don't fight it and I let the darkness take me, almost with relief.

_____________________________

As soon as my eyes flutter open, I almost jump, sitting up on the king-size bed. I look around me with tired eyes. _Where the hell am I ? What happened ?_ I glance around the massive bedroom, looking for clues. _It's obviously not the hospital, nor my apartment and it doesn't seem like the Joker's kind of environment_. I notice that I'm still wearing my dirty clothes, with the exception of the stolen hoodie folded on the desk across the room. Even though, my heart is beating fast and I'm really nervous, I have to admit… _I feel much better. I don't know how long I've been sleeping but, I needed it_. I take a deep breath and slip out of bed carefully. I see the bright light shining through the cream curtains and I open them slowly. I let out a gasp of surprise when I realize I'm right in the middle of Gotham, all the big buildings and towers surrounding me. _Whose place is this ?!_ A sigh of relief escapes my lips when I notice the small knife placed on top of the hoodie. Without thinking, I grab it and decide to confront whatever, or whoever, is out there.

I open the door with caution and pop my head out. As quietly as possible, I walk out of the bedroom, closing the door behind me. The place is _big_. It's obvious that whoever owns this apartment is wealthy. The decor is minimalistic, everything is too clean, too tidy, too… _perfect. It doesn't look like somebody lives here._ The faint padding sound of my bare feet on the cold stairs suddenly stop when I reach the last step. There's a long and bright hallway in front of me and I can clearly hear someone in- what I guess is- the living room. My heartbeats increase and my grip tightens around the handle of the knife. I slowly enter the room and I spot the old man almost immediately. He's sitting in a leather armchair facing the window glass and he's sipping a tea, quietly humming a familiar melody. I clear my throat, letting my presence be known and the humming stops abruptly. He turns his head and when his eyes fall on me, a sincere smile brightens his face and he puts the cup down.

' **G** ood afternoon, miss.'

Then a flow of images rushes through my brain and I remember. _He saved me last night. Was it last night ? How long was I out for_ ? I feel the heat reaching my cheeks when I realize I'm still holding the knife in front of me.

' **S** orry,' I mutter, letting my arm drop back to my side.

He shakes his head with a gesture of the hand.

' **P** erfectly understandable,' he assures me, 'I would probably do the same in your situation.'

I nod and glance nervously around the room. _Does he live alone ?_

'I know you probably have a lot of questions.' The corners of his eyes crinkle. 'But let me get you a cup of tea first.'

_I normally hate tea, but I could drink anything right now._

' **S** ure. Thanks,' I reply, still confused.

He walks out of the room quietly and I take a step aside, even though I'm far from being in the way. _Have I seen him before ?_ I cross my arms awkwardly and let my stare wander around the room. This seems like an awfully big place for one person. _He must live with his family…_

' **P** lease, make yourself comfortable.'

The man comes back with a tray and offers me to sit down on the immaculate couch facing him. I sit down slowly and thank him for the tea. _To be honest, I feel extremely out of place. I need a shower, my clothes are filthy and I seriously hope I won't leave a stain on this expensive couch_. He drops two cubes of sugar in my tea and I glance at the plate full of cookies sitting on the tray. _God, they look good_. I fight the urge to reach for one and instead clear my throat.

' **W** hy did you help me ?' I decide to ask as he's sitting in the armchair with a sigh.

He raises his eyebrows, seemingly surprised by my question.

' **W** hy wouldn't I ? I can't possibly leave you in Gotham's cruel streets all by yourself with this… _monster_ chasing you.'

' **B** ut how… How did you know who I was ?' I furrow my brows.

He purses his lips and gives me a small smile.

' **Y** our photograph was on the news, I'm afraid.'

_Oh. How did I forget that already ?_

' **M** y apologies, I haven't even introduced myself. My name is Alfred Pennyworth.' He extends his hand over the table.

I furrow my brows as I shake his hand absently. _Pennyworth…_

' **T** he police station !' I let out suddenly.

' **P** ardon ?'

' **I** mean… that's where I've seen you before,' I explain shyly, 'I just remembered.'

The smile reaches his eyes and he lets a soft chuckle out.

' **T** hat's right, I...'

The phone interrupts him and I instantly jump when the loud ringing echoes around the room.

' **E** xcuse me.' The man gets up to reach the phone on the wall across the room.

As soon as his back is turned, I grab a cookie and eat it hungrily. _I'm starving._

' **Y** es, she's here… she's awake… Yes.'

I stop chewing and listen to the conversation without being too obvious. _Who is he talking to ?_

' **I** 'll see you soon, James.'

My heart rate accelerates slightly when I hear the name and I swallow the rest of the cookie.

' **I** f you don't mind, James Gordon from the GCPD will come over in the next hour to talk to you.' Alfred sits back in the armchair.

I nod in agreement. _Better than if I have to go there myself_.

' **I** took the liberty of getting some new clothes for you if you'd like to freshen up. There's a bathroom upstairs at the end of the hallway.'

I mentally thank him for suggesting that and I get up with a nod. I start walking away but my curiosity makes me stop in my tracks.

' **D** o you live alone ?'

Alfred's eyebrows arch up in surprise and an amused smile forms on his face.

' **O** h, I'm only the butler, miss.'

I frown. _Do people still have butlers ?_

' **W** ho lives here ?' I insist, wondering where the real host is.

' **B** ruce Wayne.'

 _Bruce… Wayne ?_ I give him a quick smile and exit the room. _I wasn't expecting that_.

________________________

After a quick shower, I put on the fresh clothes, feeling half decent again. I hear the doorbell and I quickly tie my hair up. _It must be Gordon. Or Bruce_. A soft knock on the bedroom door startles me.

' **M** r. Gordon is here, miss Wilde. Come down whenever you're ready.' I hear Alfred's voice through the door.

' **O** k, I'm coming,' I reply nervously.

I feel like a little girl again, when my aunt was receiving guests and I had to come out and greet them. _I'm nervous. Of course, I'm relieved to see Gordon again but I know that I will have to go through everything that happened with the Joker and I really don't want to_. I take a deep breath and head out.

' **G** lad to see you again,' Gordon says as soon as I appear in the hallway.

My throat is so tight, I just nod quietly.

' **T** here's tea and coffee in the living room, I'll leave you two to talk.' Alfred smiles before disappearing down the hallway.

As we're settling on the couch, I glance at Gordon from the corner of my eye. _He seems exhausted._ His face is pale and the puffy pouches under his eyes are a dark shade of grey. He places his glasses back on his nose and purses his lips.

' **I** 'm sorry about what happened,' he starts with a sigh. 'I...'

' **I** t's not your fault,' I cut him off.

' **W** e'll catch him,' he assures me.

_I want to believe him but I start to doubt it. After all, the Joker always finds a way to get what he wants._

' **W** hat happened that night ?' I ask, 'Did you find the mayor ?'

Gordon nods vigorously.

' **T** hanks to Batman, the mayor was rescued in time.'

 _And me. At least someone else survived…_ Then, Gordon starts asking questions about the time spent with the Joker. _Here we go_.

' **I** know you probably don't want to relive what happened, but I need to know,' he explains, 'Any information or detail could help us.'

I agree and start telling the story from the night I went to work at the restaurant. It's harder than I thought and I realize that mentioning it out loud is making it worse. I could have pretended it was just a nightmare before, but now that I hear it coming out of my mouth, I can't escape it. _It did happen and it's seriously messed up._

When I start mentioning the couple, my throat tightens even more and I can barely breathe. I take a few sips of my coffee and Gordon offers me to go sit outside on the balcony. I accept with relief, hoping the cold will calm me down and stop the tears threatening to roll.

A long half hour later, I've told him everything and he puts his notepad away in his pocket. _That's done_.

' **N** ow, miss Wilde…'

' **N** ora,' I cut him off.

' **N** ora, you obviously realize that it's not safe for you to go back to your apartment. After talking with Mr. Wayne and Alfred, we all agree that it'd be… _preferable_ for you to stay here for a while.'

 _Stay here ? I guess... if Gordon trusts them, then I will too. Is Gordon trustworthy ? I think he is. I need him to be. After all, he's the only person I trust in Gotham and I'm willing to take the risk. I'd rather face the consequences than thinking I'm all alone in this city._ He hands me a set of keys and informs me that the lock of my apartment has been changed.

' **I** f what he told you about the corrupted police officers is true, the less they know, the better. I'll be in touch soon.'

He gets up with a sigh and extends his hand. I shake it thoughtfully.

' **S** tay under the radar. Don't show your face for now.' His brown eyes stay on mine for a second, making sure I understand.

 _Of course I do. He doesn't want the Joker to know I've been found… for obvious reasons_.

' **C** an I ask you something ?' I ask suddenly.

' **O** f course.'

' **W** hy do you think he let me live ?'

Gordon stays quiet for a minute and I can tell he's thinking hard.

' **I** 'm not sure. I doubt an individual like him is capable of empathy or… any sort of affection. An _obsession_ , maybe…' he pauses and purses his lips, 'Whatever it is, it saved your life.'

 _Obsession_. I wish I didn't ask and I try to brush the thought away. I turn away with a shiver and let the cold wind blow in my hair. _It's going to be weird living with strangers..._

After Gordon's visit, time passes quickly. Alfred shows me around the place before preparing dinner and tells me not to hesitate to ask him for anything I need. Bruce Wayne still hasn't showed up when I go to bed and a part of me is relieved that I don't have to meet another stranger. I quickly take off my clothes and slip into bed with a sigh.

My dreams that night are terrifying. I wake up several times, sweating and breathing heavily. _Dark eyes staring at me and an eerie laugh echoing in my head. That's all I remember from the nightmares_. And every time I wake up, I have that unnerving, dreadful feeling that someone is watching me. _But there isn't anyone, it's all in my head._

*

I wake up, tired and feeling slightly nauseous. I slowly put on the clothes Alfred gave me - a pair of beige sweatpants and a black top. It's quite early but when I arrive in the kitchen, breakfast is already on the table. I see bacon, eggs and…pancakes. The nausea starts dissipating and I realize that I'm starving. He probably heard me in the bathroom and started breakfast. _This is weird. Sure, the attention is really nice, but it's making me uncomfortable. I don't want him to think he has to do all these things for me. He's not my butler…_ The kitchen is empty so I just sit down at the table and fill a glass with orange juice.

' **G** ood morning.'

My heart jumps when I realize Alfred is standing behind me. He walks up to the kitchen counter and gives me a smile that I return.

' **I** thought you would need a proper breakfast,' he starts pointing at the food on the table, 'But if you'd like to eat something else, we have sweet rolls, croissants…'

' **N** o, no, it's perfect,' I assure him quickly.

' **C** offee ?'

' **E** rm…yes please. I can do it, though,' I add rapidly.

' **V** ery well. I'll be out for a few hours. Is there anything I can bring you back ?'

I shake my head and he leaves the kitchen quietly. After finishing the food, I grab my cup of coffee and decide to go sit outside on the balcony. It's pretty cold and I feel the goose bumps tingling my skin but it's nice to breathe some fresh air. With the noise of the traffic echoing around me, I take a few deep breaths and try to empty my mind. _I really thought the Joker was going to kill me but he didn't. I don't know why he changed his mind, once again._

' **A** ren't you cold out here ?'

The deep voice almost makes me spill the coffee all over myself and I turn my head, putting the drink down. _Finally, he's here_.

' **B** ruce Wayne.'

He closes the distance between us in a few steps and I don't even have the time to get up, his hand is already in front of me. I try to smile but he's more intimidating than I expected. _Tall, muscular but lean with sharp features. He reminds me of Dan… even if Dan would have probably been considered more attractive, Bruce's piercing stare is definitely more intriguing_.

' **N** ora Wilde.' I remember to talk after an awkward pause.

' **N** ice to finally meet you.' He lets go of my hand but he's already held it for a little bit too long. 'You need a jacket ?'

I shake my head. I don't know what to do with my hands anymore so I hold the cup with both hands and sip the lukewarm drink.

' **D** id Alfred show you around ?'

' **H** e did. Thank you for letting me stay,' I add politely.

' **M** y pleasure. I'll head to bed now.'

 _Bed ? I thought he had just woken up but he must have only came back home now… Is that what he looks like when he's been out all night ?_ His suit is impeccable, he's standing straight and he doesn't seem tired at all.

' **D** on't you work this morning ?' The question slips past my lips.

The corner of his mouth twitches but he keeps a straight face.

' **I** t's Sunday,' he informs me flatly.

_Oh._

' **S** orry,' I mumble, 'Have a good rest.'

He nods once before going back inside. I exhale loudly and relax back in the chair. _That was… awkward_.

After eating lunch and reading a few chapters of one of Alfred's book, I finally decide how I'll contact Rose. _I know I'm a coward but, in case she knows, I'd rather avoid this discussion today. So I write an email, but I don't mention anything about the Joker or what happened to me_. _If she miraculously hasn't heard about the news yet, I'd rather keep it that way for a little bit longer._

*

As days pass, I feel more and more… _empty_. _There still hasn't been any sign of the Joker and nothing from Gordon_.

The next saturday, we finally hear from both of them. _Just not the way I had hoped_. I wake up late that day and when I arrive downstairs, I find Alfred in the living room, his back turned to me. As usual, Bruce is out somewhere and I would actually be surprised if he wasn't.

' **H** i,' I let out in a quiet voice.

' **M** iss.' Alfred turns around slowly.

I furrow my brows when I notice that his usual smile has vanished.

' **W** hat happened ?' I ask straight away.

He sighs and purses his lips.

' **J** ames Gordon was shot during the parade this morning.' he pauses to shake his head, 'He didn't make it.'

My heart skips a beat and I feel my jaw tightening. _He was shot_. A cold feeling runs through my body.

' **B** y who ?' I ask quietly.

 _I know already. I just need to hear it_.

' **T** he Joker.'

I'm still standing in the doorway, frozen. _James Gordon is dead._ I keep repeating the information in my head, but my brain doesn't seem to fully register it. I'm staring into space but I see Alfred stepping towards me from the corner of my eye.

' **A** re you ok ?'

I step back and nod a few times, forcing a smile on my face.

' **I** 'm fine.'

___________________

After Gordon's death, I completely withdraw into myself. Even though I skip almost every meal, Alfred still brings them up to my room or stores them in the fridge. _I'_ _m just not hungry… not interested in talking… I feel numb. How am I supposed to move on when I can't even go back to my apartment or walk on the street ? I'm just waiting for the Joker to get caught or… for him to find me. And then there's the guilt, slowly eating me… All these people who have died and I just… survived. It's not fair._

I toss and turn every night, the incessant thoughts keeping me awake for long hours until my eyelids can't stay open anymore.

_2am_

I wake up in the middle of the night, feeling hungry. I slip out of the room quietly and glance at the clock in the hallway. _2am. Perfect time for a snack I guess._

I open the fridge and blink a few times, letting my eyes get used to the light. As I'm grabbing the food that Alfred put away for me, my elbow pushes a jar of pickles and sends it straight to the floor. The jar shatters against the tiles, sending shards of glass, pickles and liquid all over the kitchen floor.

' **S** hit,' I whisper angrily.

 _The noise probably woke them up as well_. Tiptoeing around the kitchen, I pick up the pickles and the biggest shards of glass as quietly as possible. _Except that I can't see much._

Suddenly, the kitchen light turns on and I squint my eyes in surprise, momentarily blinded. Bruce Wayne is standing in the doorway, his finger resting on the switch.

' **I** 'm so sorry,' I whisper precipitately.

' **S** it down, let me do it.' It sounds like an order but his tone is gentle.

I feel embarrassed enough so I don't argue and I sit down without a word. He starts cleaning the mess I've made and I carefully avoid his stare once he straightens back up.

' **D** o you mind if I sit ?' He points at the chair next to mine.

I shake my head but I don't meet his eyes. _I haven't really talked to him since I've been here. To be honest, he seems a bit arrogant and… cold. And he's always out in a meeting or at a party anyway. I understand now why this place seems empty and impersonal_. I can still feel his eyes on me and it's starting to make me uncomfortable. _Why do people think it's ok to stare ?_

' **W** hat ?' I snap, trying to hide the irritation in my voice.

' **Y** ou're not alone,' he states, his eyes still fixed on me.

_What ?_

' **W** hat do you mean ?' I ask, confused.

' **W** hat you went through was pretty… traumatic. And I know you're new in the city too.'

When he sees that I have no intention of saying anything, he continues.

' **I** know it can get lonely, even in a city like Gotham. But you're not alone. If you need to talk, Alfred's here. _I'm here._ '

_I doubt he's ever felt lonely before, but I wasn't expecting him to be… caring ?_

' **I** 'm fine really, but thanks,' I lie politely.

He purses his lips and a smile appears on his face.

' **Y** ou don't have to do this,' he says with an amused look on his face.

' **D** o what ?' I ask defensively.

' **H** old back. I know you don't like me much.'

I scoff at his words. _Why would he think that ?_

' **I** 've never said that,' I retort.

' **S** o, you like me ?' His face remains impassive.

' **I** … don't know you.'

The left corner of his mouth slightly curls up and I see a weird glimmer in his eyes. _Is he flirting with me ? No...that's not it. I think he's just trying to make me uncomfortable…or see my reaction_.

' **F** air enough,' he admits, 'Continue.'

 _Continue what ? He's trying to confuse me… which isn't too hard at 2 in the morning._ I shake my head a few times.

' **I** don't… dislike you, but I don't think we have a lot in common. I'm not really the talkative type and you're just… _you_.'

' **W** e don't know each other,' he agrees, a smile still on his lips.

' **E** xactly. So don't try to make me talk or...open up or… whatever you're trying to do. We don't know anything about each other.'

I lower my gaze back on the food in front of me. The hunger starts fading as I feel the heat burning my cheeks. _I should just go back to bed, before I embarrass myself even more_. I get up without a word and head for the hallway when he starts talking again.

' **M** y parents got shot when I was eight.'

His deep voice seems to float in the quiet kitchen for a few seconds and I freeze in my tracks.

' **S** hot right in front of me after a night out. I didn't get a scratch.'

My heart tightens at the thought and I can't help but think about what happened to me.

' **I** 'm sorry,' I say quietly without turning my head.

' **I** t's hardly a secret here, but…' He shrugs his shoulders. 'Now you know something about me.'

 _I didn't know he grew up as an orphan too…_ I turn around and meet his eyes.

' **M** y parents and my sister died when I was six. Car crash. I was in the car too, but I only got a broken wrist,' I let out, avoiding his stare.

His jaw tightens and he nods pensively. _I realize that it's actually the first time I've ever told someone. And it feels…good to have someone knowing that because I chose to tell them_. _Not because everybody else is talking about it._

' **S** orry to hear that,' he says finally and his tone is genuine.

After another ten minutes, I start thinking he might not be that bad after all. _Maybe I've judged him too fast. Even though, there's definitely something off with him_ …  _It's none of my business._

I head back to bed, deep in thought. _That conversation has actually made me forget about the Joker for a while._ But as I slip back into bed, holding the sheets tightly against my chest, the memory of his painted face comes back in my mind and I can't push it away anymore. I squeeze my eyes shut and fall into another troubled sleep.

*

The next evening, what I've been hoping for two weeks finally happens.

Bruce is out again and even Alfred has gone out to run some errands, so I'm sitting in the living room alone, watching a wildlife documentary.

A news ticker suddenly starts scrolling at the bottom of the screen and I gasp when I read the breaking news. _The Joker has been caught a few hours ago_. My heart jumps and my eyes widen in shock. _James Gordon is alive !_ I jump to my feet and I can feel my whole body tremble. _Thank god_.

I start pacing around the room, my thoughts running wild. _I can go back to my apartment ! Yes. I could go right now actually… Just to check it out._ _I know it could definitely wait until tomorrow but I'm too excited to be able to go out again and I'll use any excuse to go there. I'm safe now, the Joker is in custody._

I rush to the kitchen and grab the money Alfred left for me if I wanted to order some food. I write a quick note that I stick on the fridge in case Alfred comes back before I do.

**_Gone to my apartment. Will be back soon !_ **

As soon as I step out, I take a deep breath. There's still a lot of traffic and all the noise is weirdly reassuring. _I've been in that place for too long, I really needed to go out. This feels good. They've looked after me very well, but I need my freedom again_.

The ride to my place is quicker than I thought and I hand the money for my fare before stepping out in the cold. After glancing at the tall building, I take a deep breath. I don't know exactly why I feel so nervous, but I stop in front of my door, fiddling with the keys. Thankfully, as soon as I push the door open, I realize that nothing has changed. _My apartment is exactly how I left it_. I close the door and sit on the couch with a long sigh. _It's good to be back_. I hold a gasp when I see the black envelope from Wayne Enterprise on my coffee table. With everything that happened, I completely forgot about that invitation. I make a mental note to ask Bruce about it while I make some coffee. Then, I change into my own clothes and start looking for my bank card, with the sound of the TV in the background. 

Being finally back in my own apartment makes me lose track of the time and I have to remind myself that I'm not staying here for the night yet. _I feel like I need to talk to Gordon first._

' **I** should go,' I mumble to myself, glancing at the clock.

 _It's late. Joker or not, the streets aren't safe at night_. I gulp the rest of the cold coffee and put my card in my back pocket. I'm about to turn the TV off when my blood suddenly freezes in my veins and I turn up the volume.

_' **A** n explosion has gone off at the GCPD about half an hour ago. No information concerning any casualty has…'_

I turn the TV off abruptly but my feet stay glued to the floor. _An explosion_. I shut my eyes. _Why did I even get my hopes up ? I should have known better…_ A loud knock on the door suddenly startles me and my heart starts pounding in my chest. I hold my breath and walk up to the window as quietly as possible. I glance down at the road and I let a relieved sigh out. There's a police car parked right in front of the building. _Alfred has probably gone back home, seen my note and called the police over_. I throw the TV remote on the couch and head for the door.

When I open it, my breath gets caught in my throat.

' _ **H** ii_.'

 _He's here. Dressed as a police officer_. His nasal voice sends my heart into a frenzy. Panic flooding through my body, I try to slam the door shut but I'm not fast enough and the palm of his hand collides with the wooden door, stopping it. I slowly stagger back into my apartment, eyes wide open. He smacks his lips and fakes an offended look.

' **W** ell… that's not really _nice_ , Nora.'

' **G** et away from me !'

I'm still backing away, but I know I'm trapped. _There's nowhere else to go._

' **Y** ou don't _really_ mean that.' He frowns and steps towards me.

 _No. Not again_. I look around me, desperately searching for something to use, but when I see his hand reaching for my arm, I stop thinking and I rush to the door. Before I manage to open it, my whole body is slammed against it and I yelp in pain. His forearm is digging into my spine and I desperately try to wriggle myself out, but he only pushes me harder against the door. My body completely freezes when I feel his scars brushing against my cheek. My throat tightens painfully and he manages to restrain my wrists with one hand. _It's my fault. I can't blame anybody else but me. Why did I have to come back here tonight ?!_

' **A** w _ww_. I wish we had, uh... time to _play_ too,' he drawls right in my ear, 'But I'm on a _tight_ schedule here.'

My skin still in contact with his is starting to feel like it's on fire. _And I don't know why it's bothering me so much right now but I can smell him. Not some chemicals or gunpowder. I can smell him, his skin…_

 _Snap out of it. My neighbours are home, they could hear me…_ But as soon as I open my mouth to scream, he pulls me away from the door, only to slam me back against it. I let a silent cry out and he scoffs, his hot breath hitting the back of my neck. When I feel the handcuffs sliding around my wrists, a tear rolls down my cheek.

' _ **N** ow_ what do they say again ?' He rolls his eyes up, pretending to think. ' _Hmm_. Oh. _Yes_. You have the right to remain…'

I hear a loud tearing sound and a thick piece of duct tape is placed over my mouth.

'… _ **s** ilent_.'

He lets out a cackling laugh and shoves me out of the apartment, slamming the door behind him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!


	6. Captive

                                                                  

 

I walk down the main hallway, towards the stairs, breathing heavily. _He's right behind me. He doesn't touch me or say anything but I can feel his eyes on me_. My heart is beating frantically and the adrenaline rushing through me is making my whole body shake. He must see it because he's suddenly holding my arm, guiding me towards the exit.

' **Y** ou're not gonna try to _escape_ , are you ?' he asks in his deep voice.

 _What's the point ? It's not like I can get far anyway…_ I shake my head quickly. He grunts and I can't resist a sideways glance at his expressionless face. His makeup is wearing off, the black from his eyes spreading down his cheeks and it gives him, somehow, a more sinister look. I'm slowing down unconsciously and his fingers start digging into my skin impatiently. He shoves me forward, toward the stairs and all I can do is let a muffled gasp out. Just as I'm losing my balance, he grabs me by the arm and pulls me roughly back against his chest. One second later and I would have been tumbling down the long flight of stairs. My heart has jumped so hard, I'm left breathless.

' _ **C** aaareful_,' he drawls in a singing tone, 'You _don't_ wanna fall down those stairs, believe me.'

As soon as we've reached the police car, he opens the passenger door and pushes me into the vehicle. I wriggle awkwardly, trying to find a better position, but it's hard with my hands cuffed behind my back.

' _ **A** aaah._' The Joker sighs and settles in the driver seat with a satisfied expression.

He reaches for the tape covering my mouth and pulls it off carelessly. I feel like he just pulled my skin off and I lick my lips expecting to taste blood.

' **W** hat did you do at the police station ?'

He ignores my question and turns to me with a blank face. _For a second, I have the crazy thought that he's going to kiss me, his face comes closer to mine, stopping only inches away_. I hold my breath and instinctively shrink into my seat. Though, he doesn't even look at me and simply puts my seatbelt on. As soon as he sits back down in his seat, I let a quiet breath out. _I don't get it. What does he want with me ? I thought he wanted to kill me but now he's concerned about my safety on the road ?! I don't know how to act anymore. Should I keep my mouth shut or should I talk back ? He's so unpredictable, anything can happen_.

I choose to stay quiet for the sheer fact that I'm scared shitless. He's already caused at least two accidents now and the police car is swerving chaotically in the middle of the road. He keeps cackling and talking under his breath and I have no doubt he's enjoying this. Every sharp turn pushes the handcuffs deeper into my skin and I have to shut my eyes. _We're not going to crash… I think to myself over and over. Nothing's going to happen_. I hear tires screeching loudly on the road and my throat tightens even more. Suddenly, a warm hand is on my leg and I open my eyes in surprise. I stare at his gloved hand resting on my thigh and I fight the urge to move my leg and get that hand off of me.

' **C** an you drive, Nora ?'

I furrow my brows, surprised by his question. I shift in my seat, trying to put my arms in a more comfortable position and to my relief, he decides to withdraw his hand.

' **N** o.' My voice is barely audible.

' **H** mm. Have you _ever_ driven a car ?'

' **A** long time ago.'

My stomach twists uncomfortably when I recognize the bridge that leads to the Narrows in the distance but, to my surprise, we go past it. I can see we're driving away from downtown but I have no idea where we're heading. He drives for another few minutes and then pulls up by the side of the road. Without a word, he glances out the window, searching for something in his uniform pocket. The streets are more or less empty, a few passers-by striding hurriedly across the road. _Those police cars are trackable, right ?_ I glance at the radio in front of me.

' **T** urn around.'

As soon as I see the small key in his hands, I turn to face the passenger window. The metal clicks and I'm free again. I rub my sore wrists slowly as I'm bringing my arms back in front of me with relief.

' **N** ow, _you_ drive,' he lets out, opening his door.

 _No. No way._ He's already jumped out of the vehicle and walks up to the passenger side.

' **I** can't drive,' I say as soon as he opens my door.

He rolls his eyes and grabs my arm anyway, pulling me out of the vehicle.

' **S** top being such a _coward_ , Nora. Have fun !'

 _Fun ?_ I take a few hesitant steps. _Do I have a choice ?_ I reluctantly settle in the driver seat and slam the door shut. My heartrate is increasing and I place my shaky hands on the wheel. The Joker shifts in the seat next to me with an exaggerated sigh.

' **Y** ou have to start the engine first. You know… the _key,_ ' he points out mockingly.

' **D** on't make me do this,' I beg in a quiet voice.

' _ **D** rive_.'

His voice has become cold and commanding and I'd rather avoid a confrontation. _Ok_. I start the car and drive very slowly. My hands are sweaty now and I'm on the verge of panic. _I don't know what I'm doing_. I keep stalling the car and it's starting to get really awkward now.

' **C** ome on, Nora. I'm sure your _grandma_ drives faster than that,' he scoffs and puts his arm behind my seat.

I'm so tense that I can't even focus on what he's saying. _That's why I don't see him getting closer_. All of a sudden, he's grabbing my leg with both hands, slamming it on the accelerator. The car starts speeding off and I try to keep the wheel as steady as possible.

' **L** et go !' I exclaim in panic.

I blink confusingly and I see blood. _No, there's no blood. It's in my head_. He suddenly releases my leg and I manage to take a deep breath. My face feels so hot that I have to just slam on the brakes and stop the car completely. The Joker is sitting in his seat, straight, his head slightly tilted to the side.

' **W** ell, _uh_ …' His eyes roll to me. 'That was _disappointing_. Get out.'

My legs feel like jelly and I exit the vehicle without saying anything. The Joker follows me out, a gun in hand and I just stand there, waiting for him to walk. The streets are dimly lit, making it easier for me to avoid his eyes. He grabs my arm again with a rapid ' _come here_ ' and suddenly everything becomes black. I realize that he's just put a bag over my head and my breathing accelerates. I try not to trip up on the uneven pavement and I keep up with his long strides as best I can.

We walk for a long time, at least it feels like it, the ground becomes bumpier, we go down some stairs and it becomes colder. _Where is he taking me ?_ His hand suddenly lets go of my arm and I freeze. There's a heavy silence and I can't even hear him anymore. I stand straight and I can basically hear my heartbeats echoing around me. I feel a cold draft and fear is making the blood rush to my brain.

' **W** -Where are you ?' My voice sounds shakier than I hoped.

There's a quiet chuckle behind me and I turn around confused.

' **I** s someone scared of the _dark_ ?' he asks with a mocking tone.

I hear a strange beeping sound followed by a metallic one. _What's going on ?_ He grabs my arm again and we go… _up ?_ _I'm confused._

The bag is snatched off my head and I have to blink a few times to make out what's around me. _We're in a hallway, that's about all I can see._ I follow the Joker and the fear really settles. I think regretfully about Alfred and Bruce. _I could be with them right now, safe and sound, but because of my stupid choices once again I'm with him._ We arrive in another room and I freeze in my tracks. There are four cells in every corner of the room, an old rusty desk with a chair and the old ceiling lamp is shining a weak light. I step back almost immediately but as soon as he sees me move, from the corner of his eye, he clutches my arm tightly and forces me to step forward. _But my feet won't move._

' **Y** ou can't put me in there.' I shake my head a few times.

His jaw clenches and he pulls me harder this time, making me tumble into the cell with a yelp.

' **I** have _one_ more thing to do,' he pauses to lick his lips before adding, 'And I can't have you _wandering_ around while I'm gone.'

He slams the door cell shut and locks it. I clutch the bars and look at his retreating back.

' **W** ait… You don't have to do this !' I call him but he doesn't stop.

' **O** h. _I do_.'

The door slams shut and an eerie silence follows. _Shit_. I glance around the cell but apart from a small toilet in the corner, there's absolutely nothing. I go through my pockets uselessly. All I got is my bank card, my keys and some change. I sit on the floor, my back against the wall and I bury my head between my knees. _He's not going to kill me now, he would have done it already… but he could change his mind tomorrow. I have to understand why he still wants me alive. He must need something from me. And I need to figure out where I am… I'm almost certain we're somewhere underground. The floor and the walls are made out of concrete and there's no windows. Not one. Only that horrible, gloomy light_.

Hours seem to be creeping by. _How long is he going to be gone for ?_ I'm lying on the hard floor now, my jacket folded under my head. _How did he manage to steal a police car and ride around the city without getting caught ? What if he's blown up everybody at the GCPD ?_ I have a churning feeling in the pit of my stomach and I try to stop thinking about it. _No point in worrying about that now_. I close my eyes. It's the middle of the night, but the adrenaline is still pumping through my veins and there's no way I can fall asleep in here.

Suddenly, I hear a door slamming in the distance and I quickly sit up, the jacket clutched in my fists. The metal door opens slowly and the Joker appears in the doorway. The uniform is gone and he's wearing his usual shirt, sleeves rolled up, with a pair of dark trousers and dusty shoes. His hair seems damp and that's when I realize he's wiped all the makeup off. _All of it_. I stare at the floor in silence as he walking up to the cell. He unlocks it and steps in before crouching down in front of me.

' **N** ot sleeping ?' he asks in a light tone.

' **I** s that what I'm supposed to do ?' I retort, still avoiding his stare.

' **W** ell… _nooo_. You can do whatever you want !'

I can hear the sarcastic tone in his voice but I ignore it. Instead, I nod while pursing my lips. To my relief, he straightens back up and walks away.

' **C** an I have a blanket ?' I sit back against the wall, staring at the floor in front of me.

' **O** f _course_ , beautiful. You just had to ask.'

He comes back with a thick blanket and that's the last interaction I have with him that night. A part of me wants to stay awake and alert but my body just can't keep up anymore and I end up falling asleep a few hours later.

*

I'm woken up by a strong smell of chemicals and my eyes flutter open. I sit up slowly and I see the Joker hunched over the desk, his back turned to me, mixing something in a plastic container. _Has he even slept ?_ My throat is so dry, it hurts to swallow. I hear him chuckling and I get up on my shaky legs.

' **C** an I have some water ?'

' _ **H** mm_.'

He dismisses me with a flick of his hand like he's too focused to even reply to me and I lean against the wall. Some sort of chemical reaction happens in the container and white smoke escapes from it. He lets out a satisfied groan and sits back in the chair. Deep in thought, I stare at my keys, lying on the floor. _Can you stab someone with that ? Probably…_ The lock of my cell makes a loud click and my whole body tenses. The Joker places a bottle of water on the floor and walks up to me. I'm staring at his shoes as he's stepping closer, still determined not to look at his face. I hear an exaggerated sigh and I know he doesn't like that.

' **L** ook at me, Nora.'

I don't move a muscle.

' **L** OOK AT ME,' he articulates loudly.

His voice is suddenly really deep, almost like it's coming from another person and the words echo around the room. _Again, I do as he says. It feels like he's draining the energy out of me, making me weak. I just have to look at him_. I glance up but immediately regret it. I didn't want to see his face because that would make him… _human. Of course I know he's just a man, but it's easier to forget that when he's got paint covering his face. It's disturbing. Disturbing that, despite the scars, I can't help but think he's... handsome._ l'm ashamed to even allow that kind of thoughts in my head and I try to brush it off.

He's studying my face with a scary intensity while his tongue is absently probing his scars. I swallow hard and clear my throat.

' **W** hy haven't you killed me already ?' I ask in a quiet voice.

' **I** told you, I have things to _show_ you. The real question is, why can't _you_ kill me ?'

' **W** ho said I couldn't ?' I snap back without thinking.

To my shock, he gets a knife out of a pocket and simply shoves it into my shaky hand.

' **G** o ahead, Nora. _Kill me_.' He points at his throat. 'I'd say go for the _heart_ , but it could get a little, uh… _tricky_ , if you missed.'

 _Is he serious ?_ I stare at the knife but I already know. _I can't do it. I can't kill someone in cold blood, even if he's hurt me before. I just don't have it in me. If it was in self-defence of course, but… he's not trying to kill me right now. Would it be a clever thing to do anyway ? I doubt getting out of this place is as simple as opening a door. Something tells me I would actually need him to get out of here._

He interrupts my thoughts by snatching the knife out of my hand with a long sigh, before leaning slightly closer to me. My heart starts pounding in my chest like a captive animal. _Why does he have to come this close ?_ He places his right hand on the wall next to my head and all of a sudden I feel like the air has been sucked out of the room.

' **I** think you _like_ me,' he lets out in a light, nasal tone.

There's a few seconds of silence until I finally speak.

' **W** hat ?' My brows furrow in confusion.

' **Y** ou… like… _me_.' The pitch of his voice rises on the last word.

' **I** don't,' I retort quickly.

His dark gaze travels lazily from my eyes to my lips and back. He licks his lips rapidly.

' **W** hy is your heart beating so fast then… _hmm_ ?'

' **F** ear,' I reply precipitately.

' **N** o, no, _no_. Fear sounds, uhh… _different_.' He shakes his head, staring me down. 'There's something else.'

_Can he really hear my heart ? Of course he can't…_

' **T** here's nothing else,' I assert calmly.

As soon as I drop my gaze, he makes a guttural sound deep in his throat and his hand reaches up. My whole body stiffens as he pushes a strand of hair off my face with a smirk. The gesture, a normally gentle and comforting one, is nothing but intimidating.

' **C** an you really blame me for, uhh… _wondering_ ?' He lets his hand drop. 'You _wanted_ me to find you, that's why you went back to your apartment. You _missed_ me.'

' **I** went there because I thought you were in jail,' I correct him sharply.

He tilts his head to the side and furrows his brow.

' _ **S** ooo_, you haven't thought about me, let's say… _every_ day ?'

' **N** o,' I lie in a weak voice.

 _Of course I've thought about him every day but not the way he's implying. And he knows it_. He licks his lips again and I feel like he can read my mind just by looking at me so I look away.

' **A** nyway.' He pushes himself away from me and I can breathe again. 'Make sure you get enough… rest. We're going _out_ tonight.'

He exits the cell and I'm left against the wall, confused, legs still shaking.

\----------------------------------

I spend the next hours waiting for him to come back. _I can't get any rest even if I wanted to_. The chemical smell is dissipating but it's already left me with a bad headache. I'm scared, but not for my life. I'm scared to witness someone else getting killed again. In a way, I'd rather stay in this cell where I don't have to be part of it. _But we're going out, as he said_. My only hope is Batman showing up, wherever we're going.

I gulp down the rest of the water and throw the empty bottle at the bars. That's when the Joker decides to come back and I jump to my feet as soon as he does. He strides towards my cell and unlocks it before going back to the desk without a word. I take a few hesitant steps and push the door open.

' **P** ut this on,' he says without turning to me.

I grab what he's handing me over and I unfold it slowly. _It's a black dress_. I glance at his back in confusion but I choose not to say anything. _Yet_. I retreat back in the cell and make sure the Joker still has his back turned before quickly changing clothes. _I've never changed that fast in my life, that's for sure._ I look down, pinching the smooth material of the dress with my fingers. The dress is honestly beautiful, but I have a really bad feeling about this. _Why do I have to wear it ?_ I try to hide my cleavage and head back out of the cell. The Joker, wearing his purple and green three piece suit, turns around while putting his gloves on. He tilts his head slightly to the side, staring me up and down. Then he starts circling around me like a predator and I just stand awkwardly still until he's back in front of me.

' _ **B** eautiful_.'

' **W** here are we going ?' I ask, ignoring the compliment.

' **I** t's a… surprise.'

 _Surprise_. My throat tightens when I imagine his idea of a surprise. He gets an old pocket watch out of his vest and glances down at it.

' **T** ime to go.'

I'm about to follow him when I suddenly realize I'm barefoot.

' **E** rmm… Do I wear my shoes ?' I ask, looking at my worn out sneakers in the cell.

The Joker glances at my feet and shrugs his shoulders.

' **W** e'll find something. Come on.'

I start following him down the hallway but he suddenly freezes in his tracks and puts his arm in front of me.

' **J** ust one _liittle_ thing, Nora. Tonight is quite important and I want you to _understand_ how important it is. _Sooo_ …' He licks his lips before leaning closer to my ear.

I force my feet to stay planted on the ground and I hold my breath.

' **T** ell me… How _much_ do you like your _dear_ auntie Rose, hmm ?' he drawls in my ear.

My stomach twists in surprise. _How does he… Oh yes, my phone. He must have gone through my texts._

' **D** on't talk about her,' I say through gritted teeth.

' _ **A** www_.' He cackles and continues in a sarcastic voice. 'Is that a... _threat_ ?'

My jaw clenches but I stay quiet, holding his gaze.

' **W** anna hear a _real_ one ?' His smile disappears and he rolls his eyes up, thinking. 'Uhh… 55 Shrewsbury Avenue. _Beautiful_ little _blue_ house.' He licks his lips and his voice lowers. 'Don't make me… _go there_.'

The threat is sinking into me and my heart stops. _That's her address._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Until next time! <3


	7. Bait

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hiya! I hope y'all doing great :) It took longer than expected but I'm finally posting chapter 7 ! As usual, ignore the mistakes please, I might go through it again later..  
> Don't hesitate to comment and I hope you enjoy!

                                                      

 

**19 years ago**  

_' **F** lour ?' Rose asks, her eyes scanning the shelves._

_The little girl brings the list closer to her eyes and nods rapidly._

_' **A** nd... sugar,' she adds in a quiet voice._

_' **S** ugar, right,' Rose remembers, nodding absently._

_She picks up the flour while Nora taps her fingers on the shopping cart. She might be very young but she notices everything around her. A few insistent stares, the odd genuine smile and the thing she hates the most… giggles. They've been following her since she's stepped in the supermarket._

_' **I** forgot something else.' Rose sighs while dropping the bag of sugar in the cart. 'Just a minute, honey.'_

_As soon as her aunt walks away, the whispers start._

_' **L** ook it's her... the girl I told you about.' _

_' **W** ho ?' a second voice asks._

_' **Y** ou remember Emily Wilde ? She was in your class. That's her sister.'_

_Nora is standing straight, her eyes fixated on the shelves._

_' **T** he one that survived ?!'_

_' **Y** eah... She is soo weird... She never talks or smiles. I think there's something wrong with her.' a third voice whispers._

_' **M** aybe she hit her head hard in the accident... My mum said it probably damaged her b-...'_

_Not able to listen to the whispers anymore, Nora takes off running, hands clenched into fists. She can hear her aunt calling her name, but she ignores her, pushing past people to reach the exit. As soon as she breathes the fresh air, the tears race down her cheeks and she stops. A few seconds later, her aunt comes running out._

_' **N** ora, honey.' She crouches down, out of breath. 'What happened ?'_

_The girl sniffles loudly and wipes the tears with the back of her hand._

_' **I**... I'm... weird…' she struggles almost in a whisper._

_A smile appears on Rose's face._

_' **D** id the kids bother you again ? Listen to me.' She takes the little girl's hands in her own. 'You're not weird, you're different. Everybody is different. There isn't anybody else exactly like you. And if these kids feel like they're all the same, then I feel sorry for them. Because there's one thing you'll never be... boring.'_

_Nora finally lifts up her eyes and a weak smile forms on her face._

**Present day**  

I'm shaking. _It isn't about me anymore, now my aunt's life is on the line._ I clutch at the Joker's arm when I stumble on the uneven ground but it doesn't make him slow down. _Whatever plan he has tonight, I have to get on with it_. A sudden gust of cold wind lifts up my dress and I hold the material with one arm, goosebumps covering my body. _Finally outside_. The cold air fills my lungs and my bare feet stop on the pavement. Suddenly, the bag is removed from my head, but before I can get my bearings, he's already dragging me down a dark alley. I step on something sharp and I grunt in pain, slipping out of his hold. I hear him giggling and I stop to run my fingers over the ball of my foot.

' **Y** ou should watch where you walk,' he comments dryly, continuing down the alley.

I quickly remove the small piece of glass from my foot and start limping painfully. _Great_.

To my relief, he stops next to a parked car two minutes later. I stand behind him, shifting all of my weight to my left leg while he breaks into the car. I shiver uncontrollably as the cold wind creeps under my dress and I wrap my naked arms around myself. A few seconds later, the door opens and he slides into the driver seat. _I need a second to react._ I feel like my body is there but my mind is miles away. _It all feels almost surreal_. The Joker stares at me, blinking slowly as I'm stepping into the car.

' **W** anna drive ?'

I turn my head towards him without a smile and he takes a set of keys from the glove compartment, his eyes shooting me a blank look.

' **W** a **s** that a bad… _joke_?'

I trap my cold hands between my thighs _. I really don't want to talk._

' **W** hyare you _scared_ , Nora ?' he continues, not bothered by my silence.

The car starts and we pull out onto the road. He cocks his head to the side, licking his lips almost imperceptibly, and his eyes roll slowly to me.

' **D** id your, uh… _mommy_ die in a car crash ?' he asks in a light tone, watching my face closely.

My heart skips a beat, but I try to hide my surprise. _I know it's just a lucky guess. He doesn't know._

' **S** he _did_ ,' he sneers, his scarred mouth stretching wider.

' **N** o,' I reply quietly.

' _ **O** ooh_, you're a _terrible_ liar.' He shakes his head rapidly.

I look away without saying anything. To my surprise, he doesn't insist as he seems to suddenly lose interest in me and starts muttering things under his breath again. _Numbers… He's probably calculating something_. I stare out the window, fiddling nervously with my fingers. _Where are we going ?_ All kind of scenarios are popping up in my mind and it just makes me increasingly anxious.

' **Y** ou know, before you came back to _me_ …' he starts again, emphasizing the last word, 'Where were you hiding ? I mean, I had _someone_ looking for you, but you just… _disappeared_ !' he adds, lifting his hands in the air.

' **I** didn't come back to you,' I correct him.

_There's no way I'm ever telling him where I was_. I suspect the Joker already has an aversion to people like Bruce Wayne. _No need to make him his next victim_.

' **S** till in, uhh… _denial_ ?' He licks his lips, driving through the red light.

I shake my head and look out the window. My body stiffens when his large hand suddenly comes slamming down on my lap. He squeezes my thigh slowly, not to inflict pain, but it's definitely not a comforting gesture either.

' **A** re you… _scared_ of me ?' he asks, giving me a sidelong glance.

I look at his painted face that seems to be floating in the darkness, the occasional streetlight filtering through the dirty windows, reviving the slight green color of his wavy hair. _Of course, I'm scared of him_. I nod slowly.

' **A** nd, do you feel safe in Gotham ?' he continues his interrogation, merely looking at the road.

I shake my head and I'm tempted to ask him to pay more attention to the road. But reminding him that I'm nervous would probably only encourage him to continue.

' **T** hen, give me _one_ good reason that prevented you from, uhh…' He blinks a few times and his voice goes dangerously low. '... _leaving_.'

I open my mouth and then close it. That's when the simplicity of his question hits me. Since the night he stabbed me, I've never, not even once, considered leaving _. When that should have been the first thing on my mind._

' **H** ow long have you been in Gotham, _hmm_ ?' His voice becomes almost impatient as if the confusion he's reading on my face is feeding his satisfaction. 'Six months... a year ?'

' **T** wo months,' I reply quietly.

' **T** wo… _months_ ?' He mouths the last word silently with an exaggerated shock.

I swallow hard. _I don't know what to say. I don't know how to justify the fact that I'm still here. I'm obviously not staying for him, like he's trying to imply… How crazy would I be ? Maybe I'm trying to prove that I can take care of myself, which clearly I can't, without having to run back to Rose for help._ His hand on my lap pulls me out of my daydream when he squeezes it again but this time there's something… possessive in his grip. His bloodshot eyes are glaring at me, but I feel like he's looking through me, not really seeing me. A few seconds pass before his gaze returns to the road and his lips make a smacking noise.

' **W** ell, I'm… _honoured,_ ' he drawls, before placing his gloved hand back on the wheel.

I can barely hear the sarcasm in his voice but I'm more focused on the red mark he left on my thigh. _I have a feeling he won't let me go this time._

________________________

  _The Narrows. That's where we're going_.

As we're crossing the bridge, my heartbeats accelerate and I can barely swallow. We drive for another five minutes until we reach a really dark and creepy road. _The Narrows is a rough neighborhood anyway, I've seen it for myself, but these dark streets give me the impression I wouldn't even last an hour by myself_. I slowly get out of the car and as soon as I step on the pavement, the pain in my foot shoots up my leg and I whisper a quiet "shit". _I know it's bleeding but it's too dark to look now_.

The Joker gets a small cell phone out of his coat and dials a number. He doesn't say a word and hangs up a few seconds later. There are two minutes of heavy silence and I can't help glancing around me worriedly. _What are we waiting for ?_ The Joker is standing straight, his eyes fixated on the building in front of us, even though I can't see any light, it's starting to make me paranoid. _I'm not even sure he hasn't completely forgotten that I'm standing next to him_. I hear glass shattering in the distance followed by a few loud voices and I take a deep breath. As I'm trying not to let the panic take over, I notice two vehicles approaching on our right. They're driving really slowly and I know straight away that they must be who we've been waiting for. Unconsciously, I take a step closer to the Joker as he glances down at his pocket watch.

' **R** ight on time.' He shoves it back into his pocket.

The first vehicle stops in front of us and the Joker jumps into the car, shaking his head. I stand on the sidewalk for a second, hesitating.

' _ **U**_ _hh_ … Nora ?' The Joker pats the seat next to him. 'Unless you wanna go with… _them_?' he adds sarcastically, pointing at the black van behind.

I quickly get in the car. _Better the devil you know_. As I'm wriggling nervously in my seat, I glance at the two men sitting at the front _. They look like the typical thugs to me… and they don't look like the talkative type. Or maybe they've just gone quiet because of the Joker_. I take a deep silent breath and try not to pay too much attention to him, as he's fiddling with a strange black device, hitting it a few times with the palm of his hand before bringing it to his ear with a surprised "hmm" _. I feel like a mouse trapped with a bunch of cats… This isn't going to end well_.

_______________

To my surprise and almost relief, we're heading back downtown.

' **H** ow... long ?' the Joker asks in a singing voice.

The tension is palpable and I feel like they're as scared of him as I am.

' **N** inety… three,' one of the guy replies after a short pause.

_Ninety-three… minutes ? Until what ?_

' **H** m-hm.' The Joker glances down at his pocket watch again. 'Let's make it… _n_ _inety_.'

He licks his lips and gives me a quick sideways glance, catching me staring. I quickly look away but the question is burning my lips. _What are they talking about ?_ One of the men's phone starts ringing loudly and I almost jump in my seat, startled. He picks it up, one hand on the wheel and there's a long silence.

' **O** k,' he finally says before hanging up. 'He's there.'

The Joker lets out a deep grunt and looks out the window.

' **G** ood, good, good,' he mutters absently.

I feel slightly light-headed and I start biting the inside of my cheeks. _I guess I just have to wait…_

Ten minutes later, the car stops and my heart starts pounding in my chest again. _We're in a dark parking lot_. I can see a tall metal gate and a few dumpsters at the back of the building. _I didn't realize we would pull up here so I didn't really get a good look at the front._ The other van joins us a few seconds later, lights off.

' **O** k,' the Joker starts, 'I need you two to find some shoes for Nora. Three minutes.'

The two men exchange a confused look before glancing at me in the mirror. I avoid their stare and they exit the vehicle quickly, not willing to question his strange request.

' **N** ow,' the Joker continues, searching his pockets, 'There's a little, uh… _party_ going on in there.' He stares at the building across the street. 'Do you know the Falcones ?'

_Falcone… That name is vaguely familiar but I'm not sure where I've heard it_.

' **I** need you to help get a certain… _information_ from one of them,' he continues before I can even reply, 'That's your _mission_ tonight.'

' **H** ow do I do that ?' I retort, incredulous.

' **B** e... _creative_. Some men are weak, Nora.'

_That doesn't sound good. Is he saying that I have to flirt with someone ?_

' **H** ow am I even supposed to get in there ?'

' **S** omeone's waiting for you outside. Any more questions ?'

_Yes, about a hundred. How can I say this ? How can I tell him that this sounds like a bad plan ? But then, he's probably doing it on purpose, knowing how awkward I am around people._

' **A** re you coming ?' I ask, even though I already know the answer.

' _ **U**_ _nfortunately_ , there's somewhere I need to be.' He takes his gloves off.

Before I can ask anything else, the two men come back in the car and they drop four different pair of heels on my lap. _Ok. If I wasn't so worried, I would have found the situation rather comical. They're definitely resourceful, I'll give them that_. _And now because of me, four women are probably walking around barefoot_. The Joker sighs impatiently and I quickly grab the shoes that look like my size. As I'm putting the last shoe on, the Joker slides a hand behind my neck and pulls me roughly forward.

' **C** ome here.'

The Joker leans closer to me and pins a small object to the inside of my dress. I try to ignore his warm fingers on my skin and I sit still as he's holding my chin now, turning my head to the side. He shoves something in my ear and I refrain from pushing him away in surprise. _I don't want to do this. Even though, I'm not really sure what I have to do…_

' **Y** ou can go now,' the Joker announces flatly before getting his cellphone out again.

_I'll be fine, I tell myself_. Stepping out without a word, the cold hugs me again. I turn around to slam the door when a large hand holds it open. I glance up at the man standing way too close to me. He scratches his beard, looking me up and down before stepping aside with an exaggerated gesture. I nod awkwardly and walk away from the car. _Who's that  ?_

' **J** oker,' I hear the man start in a thick russian accent.

He disappears in the car, slamming the door shut and I take a shaky breath. _I hadn't thought about the fact that I haven't worn heels in the past… six years._ I walk around the building at a snail's pace, wondering what kind of mess I've gotten myself into again. _Where am I even supposed to go ?_

' _ **C** ross the road_,' the Joker's nasal voice resonates in my head.

My heart jumps and I remember the earpiece he just shoved into my ear. _It's so small, I can't even feel it._

_' **I** 'm gonna be the little voice in your head tonight.'_

' **G** reat,' I mutter under my breath, looking both ways.

As I cross the road, I hear a quiet chuckle in my ear, reminding me he can hear me. A strong hand suddenly grabs me before I make it on the sidewalk and I quickly free myself from the hold with an angry ''hey !''. A tall man is standing in front of me, jaws clenched.

' **D** on't make a scene,' the stranger scowls through gritted teeth, shooting a quick glance at a group of people standing by a tall block of apartments.

_' **D** on't be so ruude, Nora. Say hi to Billy.'_

I take a step back _. He's the one waiting for me_. My heart slows down and I glare back at him.

' **Y** ou shouldn't d-...' I start.

' **I** 'm Bill,' he cuts me off coldly, extending his hand.

I shake it without a word, noticing the hard callouses on his hand. He's probably in his thirties, dark hair, a neatly groomed beard and deep-set eyes. Everything about him, from his calm demeanor, his slicked back hair to the playful look in his eyes scream of confidence. He pulls a cigarette out of the pack with his lips and lights it with a rapid movement, before offering me one. I politely decline.

There's a row of bright street lamps further down the street, but the spot where we're standing is dimly-lit. _It seems like a quiet neighborhood._ I can hear the busy traffic in the distance, a few neon signs are flashing weakly across the street. The presence of passers-by is somewhat reassuring too, I don't feel so anxious anymore.

' **A** re you cold  ?' Bill asks suddenly, his cigarette bouncing between his lips as he speaks.

Before I even reply, he's already placed his heavy coat over my shoulders. The comforting warmth travels down my body and I shiver in relief, a faint smell of cologne and cigarette now floating around me.

' **T** hanks.'

A car drives down the street, the headlights flashing us for a few seconds before letting the darkness surround us again. I hold the coat tighter around me and look up at the glowing tip of his cigarette.

' **W** hat's going to happen ?' I ask in a quiet voice.

He turns his head to blow the smoke away and his dark eyes fall on me.

' **T** here's this guy, Gio, we need to get something from him. A code. Letters, numbers, whatever. That's his apartment.' He takes another long drag. 'I know the fucker has written it down somewhere.'

' **S** o... why do you need me ?'

' **W** hen it comes to women, Gio is pretty... dumb. You just gotta distract him.'

_Distract him ? I try to focus on Rose. I can do that if it means protecting her._ There's a muffled sound followed by a heavy breathing right in my ear.

'I'm just a bit surprised by the… method,' I confess, confused.

' _ **H**_ _m. Is_ _that so_?' the Joker's voice makes me jump once again, _'What would you, uh… suggest ?'_

' **N** ot suggesting anything,' I retort out loud, shifting the weight on my left leg, 'It's just not how you usually… handle things.'

I hear a low chuckle in my ear, then nothing. _He's gone again._

' **H** ow do you mean ?' Bill squints at me, cocking his head to the side.

_Oh. He thinks I'm talking to him._

' **N** othing,' I mutter precipitately.

He throws the cigarette butt on the floor and glances down at his expensive watch.

' **R** eady ?'

' **Y** eah, but… How do I get in when…' I pause when a couple walks past us, laughing, '... when I haven't even been invited ?' I finish in a whisper.

The corners of his mouth stretch into a sly grin and one of his eyes slightly twitches.

' **I** 'm invited,' He clarifies in his calm voice, 'And you're with me.'

He offers me his arm that I reluctantly take with one hand, the other still holding the coat tight. As we're slowly walking towards the entrance, I notice a slight limp in his step. _That makes two of us._

' **N** ora, right ?'

' **H** m-hm.' I nod nervously.

I do my best not to lean on him too much, even though the pain shooting in my right foot makes it hard to resist.

' **D** amn.' He holds the door open, glancing down at me. 'What have you done to your foot ?'

I look down and I realize I have dried blood all around the heel. _I need to clean that_.

' **J** ust stepped on something,' I reply vaguely.

The main hall is bright and clean with a strong smell of pine and bleach. As the clicking sound of my heels echoes through the large corridor, we can start to hear muffled voices and loud laughters. Bill gives his name to the tall man standing at the front door. As soon as he lets us in, my throat tightens. _This is exactly the kind of social situations I hate_. _I'd rather a big crowd where I can blend in and not feel like all the eyes are on me_. _But there's no hiding here_.

The first thing that surprises me is the size of the apartment. The living room sprawls across more space than my whole apartment. It's a weird mix of antique and modern decor and I'm not sure if I like it or hate it. The dark tiles and modern furniture are oddly contrasting with the heavy chandelier and the large paintings on the walls. _I feel like I've just stepped in a museum. These people definitely have money and aren't afraid to show it._

A few eyes have landed on us and I spot two women gazing at Bill while biting their bottom lips. _Not so subtle_. I shake the coat off my shoulders and give it back to him with a sigh, even though I would have gladly hidden underneath it for the rest of the night.

' **B** illy !'

The male voice is close behind us and we both turn around at the same time.

' **G** io.' Bill shakes the man's hand with a tap on his shoulder.

_So, that's him_. He must be around my age, average build, brown hair. _He's not ugly but he isn't good looking either_. His green eyes are already on me and I force a smile on my face.

' **T** his is Nora,' Bill continues, placing a hand on my back, 'My girlfriend.'

_What ?_ I play along and shake Gio's hand. As soon as he walks away, my smile vanishes and I turn to Bill with a confused expression.

' **G** irlfriend ?' I repeat.

He scratches his short beard with a smirk.

' **H** e hates me,' he explains in a low voice, 'Trust me, he's interested in you now.' He stares at the other side of the room, raising his eyebrows.

I look in the same direction and spot Gio sipping his glass of champagne, staring at me with a weird intensity. _Ok, I'm a little creeped out now_.

' **I** have to use the bathroom,' I let out precipitately.

' **O** k.' He nods his head, glancing around him.

He guides me through the hallway, his hand on my back again. _I have nothing against him but I wish he would stop touching me_. I'm already not a tactile person with people I know, let alone strangers. Thankfully, he withdraws his hand as soon as we're out of view and my body relaxes.

_This apartment is huge_. _Probably five times the size of mine_ _and I haven't even been upstairs._

Bill waits for me by the door without a word. _The Joker has obviously instructed him to keep an eye on me, which isn't really necessary. I would never risk my aunt's life. Though, I wish I knew the truth. Me having to help some guy get a code just doesn't make sense. If they needed it so badly, then they could just kidnap him, torture him, or whatever they normally do. And what is the Joker doing with them ? There's obviously a lot of things I don't know. But, at least, I got to get out of the cell… and nobody has to die._

I look at my reflection in the mirror and let a long sigh out. I look really pale and the bags under my eyes are turning darker. _How I wish I could go back to my apartment and lock myself there, away from everybody_. I wash my hands and head back out. Bill is leaning against the wall, a glass of champagne in his hand.

' **I** t's locked,' he announces, straightening back up.

I raise one eyebrow, waiting for him to continue.

' **H** is bedroom,' he adds.

' **Y** ou checked his bedroom already?'

He nods with a slight smile and we walk back to the main room. The guests have gathered in front of the big plasma TV on the wall. I catch a glimpse of a footage before the TV gets turned off abruptly. _I'm pretty sure it was the Joker._

' **H** e's out of control,' a grey-haired man comments with a scoff.

There's a few quiet laughs and everyone returns to their conversation, but I realize the man who made the last comment is heading towards us now.

' **I** t's good to see you, Billy.' He approaches us in long strides and stops right in front of the young man.

He doesn't even acknowledge me and they start chatting in a low voice. _Good, I'd rather be ignored anyway_. Minutes pass and I've been standing still, a smile plastered on my face, for a while now but I can't pretend anymore. _I just want to sit down_. I look around the room and spot Gio in the corner, still staring at me. I look away and my eyes fall on a huge platter of appetizers abandoned on a table. That's only when I see the food that I realize how hungry I am _._ My stomach suddenly feels like it's eating itself and I leave Bill's side to help myself. I let a quiet moan escape my mouth when the food basically melts in my mouth and it's so good that I forget about Bill for a minute.

_' **N** oooraa.'_

I almost choke when I hear the Joker's voice and I quickly swallow the food.

_'_ _ **H**_ _ow are you and little Billy… doing ?'_ he asks in a raspy voice.

I grab a glass of champagne and turn slightly to face the wall.

_'_ _ **I**_ _need the code in… thirty,'_ he continues, not waiting for an answer.

' **T** hirty minutes ?' I repeat stupidly.

There's a long sigh on the other end and I can picture his impatient expression in my mind.

_' **Y** eeaah.'_

' **W** hat is this really about tonight ?' I mumble quietly, almost knocking over a tall plant next to me.

_' **U** hh… It's about you, doing exactly what I'm asking you to do.'_

' **F** ine,' I reply, barely moving my lips.

_' **O** h, one more thing, Nora. You actually got… fifteen minutes. Starting now.'_

' **T** hat's not enough time ! We just arrived,' I whisper angrily but he's already gone.

' **D** amn it,' I mutter under my breath.

Bill is still in the middle of an intense discussion with the older man and I clear my throat politely when I'm back next to him.

' **C** an I talk to you for a second ?' I ask casually with a forced smile.

He excuses himself and takes me to the side. Eyebrows cocked, he slightly leans towards me, waiting for me to talk.

' **W** e got fifteen minutes to get it,' I announce in a quiet voice.

To my surprise, an amused smile appears on his face and he glances around the room.

' **W** hy don't you go talk to him ?' His suggestion sounds more like an order but I don't question it anyway.

_Although, I'm wondering what could possibly happen if we don't get it in time…_ I start walking towards Gio, when all I want to do is go sit on a chair and not have to wear these horrible shoes. A bit nervous now, I take a deep breath. _I'm not sure I can start a conversation with a stranger_.

' **N** ora, right ?' Gio starts talking as I'm getting closer.

' **G** ood memory.'

' **I** remember a pretty face when I see one,' he confesses with a wink.

I mentally roll my eyes but keep the fake smile on my face.

' **S** o.' He takes a sip, openly staring at my chest. 'How's it going with… Bill ?'

_Straight to the point._ I don't miss to notice the slight facial tick when he pronounces his name. _I wonder what happened between them two…_

' **I** t's ok,' I reply, evasively.

His smile gets slightly wider when he hears my unconvincing answer. From the corner of my eye, I see Bill circling around us, just behind one of the waiter and next thing I know, I'm being knocked over, bringing Gio down with me. There's a few shocked gasps in the room as a dozen of glasses of champagne come smashing around us. Gio is on his back, covered in alcohol and I'm already on my hands and knees, searching for Bill in the crowd. Our eyes meet and he shows me something.

' **I** am so sorry !' The waiter gets back on his knees and his face is turning bright red.

' **A** re you ok ?' I try to add a worried tone in my voice as Gio is sitting back up, flushed cheeks.

' **Y** eah, yeah.'

I take a silent breath and place my hands on his chest, patting his suit carefully.

' **G** od, you're soaked,' I comment reluctantly, leaving my hands on him.

A smile appears on his face again as he seems to notice my sudden interest. A few people are coming to clean the mess and he helps me back up. A second later, I feel a warm hand slide into mine and Bill appears next to us.

' **Y** ou ok, sweetheart ?' He leans towards me, his worried voice is as fake as mine.

He takes the key that I have been clutching and the corners of his mouth twitch.

' **I** 'm fine,' I reply with a nod.

' **L** et me get you something.' He squeezes my shoulder and walks away.

My heart is beating fast and my hands are shaking. _I can't believe I've just stolen his key right from his pocket._ _I've never done this before and I didn't expect it to go that well. He didn't even feel anything. Let's never do this again, though._

' **A** re you ok ?' Gio's voice seems far away and I try to focus.

' **Y** es.' I nod with a faint smile.

The waiter apologizes again and we move from the spot so they can mop the floor. Gio is patting himself with an annoyed face and he lifts his eyes with a sigh.

' **E** xcuse me a minute. I need to go up and change, I'm afraid.'

_No. No. He can't go now_. I scrunch up my face in pain and I lean on him before he can move away.

' **W** ait. I think…' I let out, hopping slowly on one foot, '... I think I hurt my foot.'

I hold my breath, waiting for his reaction from the corner of my eye. He glances down at my feet and his eyebrows raise quickly when he sees the dried blood.

' **S** hit ! You must have a piece of glass in your shoe.'

He offers me his arm for support and we leave the spacious living room. He brings me to a huge open-plan kitchen and runs the tap while searching for a clean cloth. I sit on the chair with a sigh _. I can try to buy Bill some time_. I take off my shoes and finally examine my foot. _It doesn't look as bad as it feels._

' **C** an you see something ?' Gio leans over me to take a look.

My heart skips a beat when I realize he's staring right at it. _He's going to notice the wound is not fresh, he has to._

' **S** hould I get a pair of tweezers ?' he continues, squinting.

_Or not._

' **N** o, it's gone,' I reply before clearing my throat, 'It's not that bad.'

' **L** et me run upstairs, get some disinfectant.'

' **N** o !' I let out precipitately, 'It's not necessary.'

He straightens back up and my mind starts racing as I'm wiping the dry blood.  _I don't know how to save more time. I don't know what to say._

' **A** glass of water ?' Gio suggests after a pause.

That's when I realize he's trying to buy more time too. _Thank god, because I'm not good at this_. I nod my head and he offers me a glass. For two minutes, he makes small talk but I can see he's growing annoyed in his wet clothes and when he decides to go back out, I can only follow him.

Thankfully, Bill is already standing casually in the middle of the living room, sipping another glass of champagne, his eyes scanning the room. My body relaxes but Gio holds me back gently by the arm and I'm tensed again.

' **I** f you ever need to talk,' he says as he's handing me a piece of paper with his number scribbled on it.

_Well, that's pretty confident_. I take it without a word and he heads straight for Bill.

' **S** hall I drive you back home, Nora ?' he suggests, watching me limp back next to him.

' **Y** eah,' I agree quickly, nodding my head, 'I think I need to rest that foot.'

Gio seems disappointed for a minute but he doesn't make eye contact with me anymore.

' **I** 'm sorry this happened, Billy. You've just arrived.'

' **N** ot your fault, Gio. I'll come back here when I've dropped her off.'

' **G** reat.' Gio simply says, but his eyes are saying the opposite, 'I hope your foot is ok, Nora.' He adds with a small nod.

I thank him and wait for Bill who's now talking to the older man again. _That was quick._ As we're heading towards the exit, Gio's eyes are back on me and he gives me a last intense look. I immediately look away, brows furrowed.

' **I** s it done ?' I question in a whisper.

Bill nods and we leave the luxurious apartment. _That's probably why the Joker hasn't spoken again. He's got what he wanted. I'm still a bit confused as to why he had to put a microphone on me, though…_

We push the doors open and we're immediately greeted by a heavy rain. Bill swears quietly and takes shelter under the small roof. The lights are reflecting in the shallow puddles covering the pavement and the smell of wet asphalt is floating around us. He lights another cigarette and glances down at me.

' **I** have to watch you leave,' he explains, nodding at the parking lot across the street with his head. 'Romantic isn't it ?'

_I wasn't really planning on running off anyway_. I throw Gio's number in the trash can and shrug my shoulders.

' **N** ot really,' I reply with a hint of a smile before walking away.

I try to walk as fast as possible without slipping, but the rain is making it difficult. By the time I've crossed the road, I'm already soaked. I walk around the metal gate with a limp but I quickly freeze in my tracks.

_There's something wrong_.

The car is there but I'm pretty sure it's abandoned. I squint, wiping the water off my face. _There's a body lying on the floor. The driver. Multiple bullet holes spread on the side of the vehicle._ My heart is pumping in my chest and I take a few steps back. _Are they all dead ?_ As I'm about to turn around, I'm suddenly wrapped up in large arms and before I can push the stranger away, he has my wrists behind my back. A forceful hand slaps onto my mouth, and he's holding me so tight, I feel like my skull is going to break. I try to kick whoever is holding me but suddenly they are three in front of me _. Black gloves, black suits. Not the Joker's men_. They push me forward aggressively and I'm pretty sure my ankle is twisted by now. I realize there's a large van a few feet behind them and I try to fight back again. I lose a shoe in the process but they get me in front of the doors in a heartbeat.

' **Q** uiet !' one of the men hisses before shoving me into the van.

I stagger into the vehicle and fall down. The doors slam shut and I get back up painfully, wiping a strand of wet hair off my face. My ankle gives out and I sit down defeatedly. As I hear the motor starting, all I can do is just sit there, breathless. My heart feels like it's about to jump out of my chest and it's only at that moment that I notice someone else sat across me in the vehicle. _A woman_. She's older than me with bruises covering her face. Her eyes are shut, her head is lolling against the wall and I really hope she's just passed out. Fear is tightening my throat, slowly chocking me. _What's going on ? It all happened too fast, I don't even know how to process this..._ _Did Bill witness it ?!_ All the questions popping in my head are making me dizzy and I start rocking with anxiety. I can feel the adrenaline rushing through my veins and I glance at the woman in front of me.

The Joker's singing voice suddenly resonates in my ear. _I thought he had left..._ I close my eyes and let a shaky breath out. For the first time, I can honestly say that I'm relieved to hear his voice.

_' **I** just… can't let you out of my sight for **one** minute, can I ?'_

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Love <3


	8. Teamwork

                                                                 

 

' **W** hat happened  ?!' I whisper almost in panic.

There's a short silence interrupted by the Joker's heavy breathing.

_' **W** hathappened ? Well, don't ask me. I wasn't there.'_

' **I** walked back to the car and you were all gone ! You're telling me it wasn't related ?!' I breathe impatiently.

There's another silence and the van suddenly stops. I hold my breath and my heart starts beating fast again.

' **C** an you… help ?' I whisper weakly.

I hear a loud scream immediately muffled right outside the vehicle and after a few seconds the doors open abruptly. I instinctively retreat further back and let out a gasp when I see two girls being thrown into the vehicle. The doors slam shut in a loud bang and their panicked breathing quickly fill the van.

' **O** h god, oh god ! Are you ok Lucy ?!'

' **N** ooo. What's going on ?!' the other girl whines, breathless.

I sit back on the floor this time and start massaging my temples. _Ok. Four women now. This really stinks_. The van starts moving again and the younger girls are banging on the doors now, screaming. _I wish I could tell them to shut up without being rude_. They inevitably notice me and their screams stop abruptly.

' **H** ello ?' one of the girl says in a shaky voice.

' **H** ey,' I reply quietly.

' **H** ave you been kidnapped too ? Do you know who they are ?!'

I shake my head.

' **I** s... Is she dead ?' the second girl whispers, glancing at the other woman, still unconscious.

' **D** on't know…' I mutter, brushing the dirt off my legs.

They start talking very fast between themselves and I turn slightly away from them, pushing the ear piece deeper in.

' **J** oker ?' I whisper through my teeth and I try, I _really_ try not to sound too desperate.

' **Y** ou said the Joker ?!' one of the girl immediately asks in a high-pitched voice. 'Is it him ?!'

' **N** o,' I mumble but I avert my stare when I hear his breathing back in my ear.

_' **W** ell… I would **looove** to help you, Nora. I really would. But, uhh… What can I possibly do, hmm ?'_

_He's right_. And asking for his help sounds pretty pathetic _anyway_. I feel the tears threatening to roll but I swallow them back. _Now is not the time_. There's a heavy silence and I know he's gone. _Probably for good_. As messed up as it sounds, I wish I was with him, because there's a pretty good chance he doesn't want me dead… _at least tonight._ _That's more than I can say about the situation I'm in right now._

After a very long drive, the van finally slows down before stopping completely. I can hear my own heart beating in my ears and I realize that the unconscious woman is now sitting straight, her eyes staring at the door. The wait is almost unbearable as we hear footsteps circling around the vehicle and different voices echoing all around us.

At last, the doors open and the same men from earlier appear, all carrying guns pointed at the ground. They pull us outside and I grunt in pain when I have to jump off the vehicle, waking up the pain in my ankle and foot. The cold wind blows in my wet hair and I shiver uncontrollably. _We are at the docks_. A full moon hovers over the bright lights of Gotham City, on the other side of the river. The rain has stopped, the clouds have dissipated and the moon casts a peaceful glow on the wet asphalt. _It's a paradoxically beautiful night._

As I turn around, I see a large warehouse standing proudly in the distance. There are three other vans similar to the one we were just in and my heart twists painfully when I realize it's filled with more girls. Before I can really take in my surroundings, I hear a noise behind me and the woman who was unconscious in the van punches one of the men, making him fall over in shock. I freeze in my tracks while the other men grab her arms and restrain her. In the momentary confusion, I suddenly catch a glimpse of a shiny object by my feet. _A small key._ _It must have fallen out of one of the men's pocket._ I pretend to scratch my foot and quickly pick up the key, shoving it in my bra. _It might come in handy at some point._

The suit-clad men end up knocking out the furious woman with the butt of one of their guns. I scrunch up my face when I hear her skull hit the ground with an awful noise. _She's a fighter_. _Although, she should have probably kept her energy for whatever's to come._ We all resume walking, one man dragging the unconscious woman by the armpits. I put one foot in front of the other almost mechanically, a sharp pain running through my leg every time I step on it. _Again, I feel like I'm not really here. Must be the shock. I remember Rose saying something about that, some kind of defence mechanism so the mind doesn't get too… damaged._

We're inside now. Cold walls, cold floors, a sweet burning smell. The building is basically empty, with the exception of a few obsolete pieces of rusted warehouse equipment. But I don't have time to get a good look as they're bringing us down a flight of stairs. They strip us down, leaving us in our underwear and by now, I've got a pretty good idea why we've been kidnapped. The men circle around us, probing us, writing things on a list. _Taking the inventory, I guess_. I hear sobbing, pleading, shouting but I stay silent, my eyes fixated in front of me the whole time. The microphone is gone with the dress and I've thrown the ear piece away with it. _It won't help me anyway_. We must have been there for an hour when they finally move us again.

' **M** ove along, girls,' a lazy voice resonates right behind me.

I give a sideways glance to the man who's walking next to me.  _Red, wavy hair, scruffy beard and a nasty eye scar_. His smile widens and lets appear some surprisingly white teeth.

' **H** ey, pretty eyes.' His gaze travels down my body and back to my face.

I turn my head away and try to ignore him. Thankfully, he's not too insistent and he quickly falls back. _Who do they work for ?_ It looks like a pretty well-organized group. We cross the whole building before reaching a metal door. _Another flight of stairs and we're deep underground now_. They wave their guns, pressing us to move faster. My heart skips a beat when I take a glance down the dirty tunnel. There's a series of doors lined up next to each other. I can't see the end of the tunnel, but I can count at least ten doors from here. _This is not good. Not good at all_. The red-haired man pulls me harshly by the arm and opens one of the door. He shoves me into the room and slams the door shut without a word. I hear the other girls protesting in the distance as they're being locked in different rooms as well. _Just breathe._

' **A** nd we meet… _again_.' A familiar voice resonates behind me.

I jump and turn on my heels. I see a dark figure slowly standing up but my tired eyes need a few seconds to get used to the darkness. _It's her. The girl who helped me twice_. Her hair is slightly tangled and she's got a black eye.

' **I** thought the Joker had you,' she continues in a low voice.

' **H** e did,' I reply, pursing my lips.

' **T** hey took you from _him_  ?' She sounds surprised and she ends up sitting back down with a sigh. ' _Shit_.'

I sit down as well, thinking about it for a second. All kind of thoughts cross my mind, but I'd rather not focus on any of them. _I don't want to be thinking about him when I don't need to._ I glance around the dark room, spotting a toilet and three water bottles on the floor.

' **H** ow long have you been here ?' I ask suddenly.

' **T** hat's my second night,' she replies before whispering, 'I got a plan, though. Well, kind of…' she rectifies, rolling her eyes.

' **W** hat plan ?' I cut her off.

' **I** can get it open.' She stares at the door with a quick nod.

' **B** ut... ?'

' **B** ut there's another door at the end of the tunnel. Locked. And I can't pick that one.

I shove my hand into my bra and retrieve the key I picked up earlier.

' **C** ould that be it ?' I show her the key.

She almost snatches it out of my hand and her brown eyes widen a little as she examines it.

' **W** here did you find it ?' She tucks a strand of black hair behind her ear.

' **O** ne of the guys dropped it.' I start massaging my foot but the pressure makes me wince in pain and I just leave it alone.

' **T** his is good,' she whispers to herself, 'We have to try to sneak out. We've got nothing to lose.'

 _Well, our lives possibly…_ but I agree with her. The idea of sticking around here and wait for them to sell us, rape us, ship us abroad or whatever sick plan they have, isn't too appealing. I wipe my runny nose with the back of my hand. _If I survive this, I'm going to be seriously ill_. I bring my legs up and sit cross-legged. The soles of my feet are black with dirt and that wound will most definitely get infected. My ankle is slightly swollen as well but I doubt it's anything serious.

' **S** o,' the girl starts again, her head turning to me slowly, 'What are you doing in Gotham ? I mean who in their right mind comes to live in this crazy city ?'

I scoff weakly.

' **I** guess I didn't know exactly what I was getting myself into,' I admit, lifting some dirt from my feet with my dirty nails.

' **R** unning away, hm ?' she guesses with a slight smile, 'I get that.'

 _Was I running away ? Maybe, yeah. I just wanted a fresh start_. I stare at my foot, deep in thought.

' **Y** ou don't talk much,' she comments after a few seconds.

That's the sentence I've probably heard the most in my life. _I used to hate it. As if not talking was a flaw or something weird_. I don't get offended by her saying it though, because she doesn't have that patronizing tone people normally use with me.

' **W** hich isn't a problem,' she quickly adds, 'It's actually nice not to hear someone talking shit all the time.'

I smile weakly, feeling a bit more comfortable.

' **W** ere you born here ?' I ask her.

' **Y** ep. This…' She waves at the room we're locked in. '...is a normal day in Gotham.'

We talk for another few minutes until the silence settles again. I see her head starting to loll and I just stay silent, letting her fall asleep. As much as I can see, considering how dark it is, she seems exhausted. Her black eye has a dark purple colour to it and I see a few more bruises spread over her naked legs. I let my head rest against the wall but my eyes stay fixated on the door.

An hour passes and the voices and whispers I could hear outside have stopped.

' **S** hall we try ?'

My heart jumps. _I didn't even realize she had woken up_. I nod my head, biting the inside of my cheek nervously. I stand up as she grabs two small objects on the floor. _This is crazy_. She starts picking the lock and I stand behind her, my stomach twisting painfully.

' **C** an you fight ?' she whispers as she straightens back up.

' **N** o.'

_I really can't. To be honest, I've never had to fight before, so it's definitely not something I'd be comfortable doing. But I obviously would if I had to._

' **R** eady ?' She asks, opening the door slowly.

_No._

' **Y** eah,' I breathe quietly and follow her out.

I almost expect to see the men jumping on us and grab us, but the dark tunnel seems empty. The weak light flickers, making the tunnel look even creepier than it already is. We quickly cross it and my heart feels like it's going to burst out of my chest. _I hate that intense feeling of vulnerability I'm experiencing. If only we could have something to defend ourselves with_. As soon as we arrive at the door, she takes a deep breath.

' **M** oment of truth,' she mumbles as she turns the key in the lock.

Relief washes over me when the door clicks open, but it's short-lived. _We don't know what's waiting for us on the other side_. We go up the two flights of stairs and freeze when we realize the exit is right in front of us across the warehouse. There's a huge metal staircase that leads to a large platform upstairs. _We can make it, but as soon as we step away from the door, we're exposed to anyone in the factory or upstairs._ _It's risky._

' **R** eady to run ?'

' **Y** eah,' I lie.

 _I don't think I can run with my foot and ankle, but I'll try._ She darts across the building and I'm not even halfway there that she's already reached the door. She waits for me but I wave my hand telling her to keep going.

' **H** EY ! ONE GOT OUT !'

 _Shit_. A panicked look spreads across her face when she hears the loud male voice. Hidden behind an old forklift, they can't see her.

' **G** et out of here !' I whisper to her, stopping in my tracks.

 _I can't make it. But she can._ The hesitation makes her look around her helplessly, but there's nothing else to do. She mouths the word ''sorry'' before disappearing behind the door.

' **W** here do you think you're going, sweetheart ?'

The red-haired man from earlier is hurrying down the stairs, followed by two other men. They can probably hear my racing heart echoing in the silent warehouse and I swallow hard. I feel suddenly really self-conscious and wrap my arms around myself, wishing I could just dig a hole and hide inside it.  
  
' **C** ome on.' The man approaches me impatiently.  
  
He grabs my by the neck and starts dragging me back. _I know it's stupid to want to get away now, but I can't help it_. I try to resist and it only makes him angrier. Suddenly, something sharp stabs my neck and I wriggle desperately, trying to get out of his hold. I feel a warm feeling travelling through my veins and I know something's wrong.  
  
Then, there's a gunshot. I wince and look down at my body, thinking he might have shot me but my vision gets blurry. Suddenly I see three or four figures entering from the exit door and I hear more footsteps behind me, but everything seems to be moving in slow motion. I stumble and turn around when I suddenly hear voices all around me. _Clowns. They're clowns_. My heart rate accelerates. _Am I hallucinating ?_  
  
' **W** hy don't you, uh… make it _easy_ for you and show us the way, hmm ?' a familiar voice asks.  
  
_The Joker ?_ He emerges from behind the other clowns and I let out a breath of relief.  
  
' **O** ver my dead body,' the red-haired man spits out.  
  
' **H** mm.' The Joker shrugs his shoulders and looks around him. ' _Ok_.'  
  
He shoots the man in the head and literally steps over him, drawing a few laughs from some of the clowns. I take a step back, almost losing my balance. I feel like I'm going to vomit. I think I can hear more gunshots in the distance but I'm not sure anymore. My muscles feel strangely relaxed. _Too relaxed_. I don't even see him approaching, but suddenly the Joker is right in front of me.  
  
' **T** hank you, Nora.'  
  
_Thank you… ?_ I open my mouth to speak but nothing comes out of it. He takes off his coat and puts it on me. I remember that I'm just in my underwear but I'm so confused that I can't even feel the embarrassment. The Joker's strong smell is now hugging me and I see him walking with the other clowns towards the staircase.  
  
' **Y** ou're ok ?' a voice asks behind me.  
  
I turn around with my brows furrowed. A clown is staring at me, a hand that I didn't even feel before, on my back. He takes the mask off and I see Bill's face appear.  
  
' **N** ot really,' I mumble unintelligibly, my lips feeling like they're glued together.  
  
He crouches with a long sigh and picks up a syringe on the floor.  
  
' **I** see.' He squints to read the small characters. 'You'll be fine.'  
  
' **W** -what… what is it ?' I stutter weakly.  
  
' **S** ome sort of drug. It won't last long though, and there's still a good amount left in there.'  
  
He shoves the syringe in his pocket and takes me by the arm. I let him drag me outside without asking any question. We stop by the metal gate at the entrance, right by the road. The cold night air helps with the nausea and I sit on the floor, not even caring about getting wet. Bill gets a cigarette out and lights it rapidly.  
  
' **A** re you gonna tell me what's going on ?' I ask, bringing my knees up to my chest.  
  
The Joker's coat is covering my body like a dress would and I feel a few things poking my belly through the thick material. I rub my eyes, trying to gain a clearer view.  
  
' **I** can't tell you much,' Bill replies, blowing the smoke away from me.  
  
I shove my hands into the pockets and almost cut my finger on a small knife. When a bumpy object falls in my other palm, I quickly get both hands out of the pockets. _I'm almost positive that was a grenade._  
  
' **H** ow did you find me and what's going on in there right now ?' I ask, pointing at the warehouse.  
  
There's a few more gunshots, emphasizing my question.

' **Y** ou had a tracker in your dress,' he explains before taking a long drag.

I shake my head in disbelief. _I shouldn't be surprised by that._

' **T** hat's what saved my life,' I say out loud, nodding.

Bill's eye twitches and he tilts his head to the side.

' **N** ot exactly.' He sighs and crouches to eye level.

I raise my eyebrows interrogatively, watching him purse his lips and stare in front of him.

' **H** e put the tracker on you, hoping you would get caught,' he starts again, 'We couldn't find the assholes location but we knew about their little… _business_ on the side. He made sure you were at the right place at the right time.' He takes another drag and his deep stare falls on me. 'You were just the perfect little target, I guess… _ripe for picking_.'

The corners of his mouth twitch, threatening to curl, but weirdly I don't take offense. _He is strangely intense, but I don't feel any animosity towards me and that's all I care. I've been called weird all my life ; who am I to call someone else weird ?_ I blink a few times before letting out a low chuckle.

' **S** o, he just used me as bait. Once again,' I sum up in a bitter tone.

 _I thought I was getting kidnapped, murdered or raped but really it was just all... part of the plan_. I breathe out loudly and shake my head. _I shouldn't have expected less from him. He must have had fun listening to me panic and asking him for help._

' **I** didn't know before it happened,' Bill adds, throwing the cigarette butt on the pavement in front of us.

I nod my head and start rubbing my forehead. _I just want to lie down_. I wonder what time it is because it seems to have stop for me.

' **H** ave you got the time ?' I ask quietly without turning my head.

' **A** lmost two.'

_That's it ?_

' **H** ow's your foot ?' Bill asks, an amused glint in his eyes.

' **A** bit worse,' I reply flatly, 'How's yours ?'

The question just escaped my lips without thinking. _I'm obviously referring to his slight limp, but I didn't mean to actually ask or sound rude._

' **S** orry,' I mumble, shaking my head.

A small laugh passes his lips and he rolls up the leg of his pants. I spot several deep scars. _Ouch._

' **S** hrapnels. The guy who stepped on the mine got blown to pieces. I was just pissing, a few feet away,' he says casually, rolling the leg back down. 'They had to remove some bone fragments from the wounds too, you know, from the other guy's fee…'

' **O** k, ok,' I cut him off precipitately, shaking the images off my head, 'I get it.'

His cell phone starts ringing and he jumps back to his feet. He brings the phone to his ear and there's a short pause.

' **G** ot it,' he finally says before hanging up.

I hear several rapid footsteps and when I glance over my shoulder, there's a group of clowns running towards their van, each carrying two large duffle bags. _What's in there ? Money ?_ Bill puts his phone back in his pocket.

' **W** ait here, ok ?' He glances at the warehouse one last time. 'I'll see you around, Nora.'

I nod at him and watch him jump in the driver seat before driving away with the other clowns. As the sound of the engine fades away, a heavy silence settles and I stare at the river. _I'm wondering what Rose is doing right now_. _I haven't talked to her in ages. She did answer my email that time, but never mentioned anything about the Joker. How long before she finds out ?_

Then, I hear them and it pulls me straight out of my daydream. _Police sirens._ I stare at the dark road with hope, rocking impatiently. _Are they for us ?_ I turn my head towards the warehouse again and I realize the Joker is approaching in the distance, another clown a few feet behind him. My stomach twists and my breath gets caught in my throat. Sleeves rolled up, his shirt is covered in fresh blood, _not his_ , and he's walking fast, almost in an excited way. _He reminds me of a child heading for his favorite food stall._

' **I** 'm proud of you, Nora,' he announces calmly as he stops right in front of me.

He offers his hand but I ignore it and get up without his help. The adrenaline and the anger growing inside me seem to attenuate the effects of… _whatever drug that guy started to inject me with_. The Joker sighs and steps closer to me.  
  
' **S** top _sulking_ , Nora.' His eyes study my face intently, waiting for a reaction but when he sees none, he rolls his eyes with a sigh. 'Ok. Look, listen… I'm _sorry_ , I didn't tell you.'  
  
I can hear the obvious amusement in his voice and I snort, shooting him a dark look.  
  
' **I** could have gotten killed,' I point out to him in a cold tone.  
  
He comes closer again and I have to step back until my body hits the metal fence to keep some distance between us.  
  
' **A** aand… _did_ you ?' he asks, tilting his head.  
  
I hold my breath still avoiding his glance. _Just like that, all my energy seems to gradually leave my body_. I lean against the fence and I could swear I've been injected by another dose of that drug, as I suddenly feel really dizzy. His hands reach up and before I have the time to pull away, his long fingers are already cupping my face tightly.  
  
' **N** ora, Nora, _Nora_.' He sighs, his gaze dropping back on me. 'You need to… _let go_.'  
  
Without any warning, his lips suddenly crash against mine and I'm so taken by surprise that my whole body freezes. _The kiss is rough, almost angry_. My mind goes blank for a second and I almost feel like my legs are completely giving out. Thankfully, my instinct seems to finally kick in and, with the little strength I've left, I interrupt the kiss, kneeing him in the groin. _Not as hard as I wished_. He stumbles back, a high-pitched cackle coming out of his mouth.  
  
' **F** inally ! A little glimpse of _you,_ Nora !' He nods his head and straightens back up.  
  
' **W** hat was that ?!'  
  
' **T** hat waaas… _interesting,_ ' he drawls, licking his lips.  
  
His eyes are still locked onto mine and I can feel my face getting really hot, despite the cold night. The kiss lasted only two seconds but I know it took me longer than it should to push him away. _What was he thinking?!_ I lick my swollen lips, at least they _feel_ swollen, and I do my best to avoid his stare. I'm angry but I don't want to talk to him either. _If he wanted to confuse me, then I guess it worked._

I don't have time to dwell too long on the question as I hear the sirens getting closer. _It has to be for us_. A flick of hope grows in my heart followed by a weird sense of dread. _What happens if he gets caught ?_ A black van suddenly pulls over, tires screeching and the Joker pushes me forward. _They're getting really close._ We all jump into the van, slam the doors but the red and blue flashing lights are already surrounding us and I let a silent sigh of relief. _It's over_.  
  
' **S** hit !' one of the clowns exclaims.  
  
_I count four police cars. Loud sirens._  
  
' **S** TEP OUT OF THE VEHICLE, NOW !'  
  
The Joker doesn't seem too fazed and he clears his throat before speaking in a light tone.  
  
' **Y** ou heard them, gentlemen.' He opens his door. ' _Out_.'  
  
It's the only option left if they want to stay alive so they go out reluctantly. I open my door and step out clumsily, my bare feet splashing in a puddle.  
  
' **H** ANDS UP!!'  
  
I lift my hands weakly and before I even notice him, a police officer is behind me and starts patting me frantically. He finds the grenade and a small switchblade in the Joker's coat. Without any warning, he pushes me to the floor. My knees hit the pavement and, because of the drug, my reflexes are too slow to stop the fall. My head hits the ground and, for a few seconds, there's a buzzing sound in my ears. _Should I mention the other girls in the warehouse ?_ The dirty rain finds its way into my mouth and I blink a few times trying to lift my head, but a large boot gives me a violent shove between the shoulder blades, making it harder for me to breathe.  
  
' **S** TAY ON THE GROUND!!' the loud voice above me barks.  
  
Another clown is dragged and pushed on the ground next to me. I hear a lot of noises, footsteps, clicking sounds, shouting voices and radio. I can't focus on any of them, until I hear the Joker's voice on my left but I can't turn my head to look at him.  
  
' **W** hy so much _violence_ , officer ?' he asks, a hint of sarcasm in his voice.  
  
' **S** HUT UP, FREAK!'  
  
The Joker starts giggling but it quickly turns into a grunt of pain, the officer obviously letting his anger out on him. His laugh resumes a few seconds later though, hysterical this time. My arms are roughly pulled behind my back and they handcuff me. _It's ok. They don't know who I am, they just think I'm one of them. It will be all cleared up when we arrive at the police station._

After a few minutes, a hand grabs my elbow and pulls me back on my feet. The sudden change of position makes me nauseous and my legs start shaking weakly. I stumble as the officer pushes me forward and I notice the small GCPD van waiting for us. _I don't know much about police vehicles but I swear this is the one they use to transfer prisoners._  
Another male officer is already securing the Joker and the other clowns in their seats. _I can't believe this is happening to me_. I realize I've been leaning against the officer who's holding me and he pushes me off him carelessly. I lose my balance and almost fall over.  
  
' **W** hat's wrong with her ?' the officer asks impatiently, as if I'm not even there.  
  
I hear the Joker chuckle mockingly.  
  
' **O** h. She's just very… _tired_.'  
  
I take a few weak steps, still silent and sit with relief. I let the officer fasten my seatbelt compliantly.  
  
' **I** 'm not part of this,' I whisper almost to myself.  
  
' **Y** eah, sure,' the officer snorts loudly.  
  
I look up at him and blink in confusion. _I'm surprised they really don't know who I am, considering they must have seen my picture more than once._ But then I realize. _I'm wearing the Joker's coat, had weapons in the pockets and…_ I chuckle weakly. _And my mouth must be smeared with red after the… kiss. They probably know who I am, but my "innocence" isn't so obvious anymore._  
  
The Joker is next to me, the other two clowns right opposite and I make sure I'm staring at my feet as they shut the doors.

______________________

The slight rocking motion of the vehicle is making me sleepy and I can't guarantee I'll stay awake for much longer.  
There's a sharp turn and my body is pushed against the Joker's. I try to straighten myself up but my legs feel like jelly. His hot breath right over my head is making me uneasy and I don't hear it over the sound of the engine but, as my shoulder is pressed against him, I can feel a rumbling coming from his chest. As if he's… _grunting_. I finally manage to sit straight again as another turn jolts me back into position. His head jerks to the side very quickly, almost like a tick, his eyes slowly turning to me. My gaze is on the floor again and I try to take a silent breath. He's still staring right at me, his tongue probing the scars from inside his mouth. _How can he be so relaxed ?_ _I'm not in real trouble but I'm still nervous._ The vehicle stops, probably at a red light and the Joker starts tapping the floor absently with his foot. I glance at the two clowns in front of me and I wonder why the police officers haven't taken their masks off. I swallow painfully and my throat feels so dry I almost choke.  
  
The next minute, everything goes _crazy_. Maybe, _probably_ , the drug makes my brain process things slower or everything is just all going genuinely too fast for me. A few things happen. I hear loud voices at the front, it sounds like an argument, followed by a loud gunshot. Then the screams start outside the vehicle and I hear car doors slamming. And finally, the Joker shakes his hands and the handcuffs fall on the floor. _What ?!_ He then proceeds to unfasten all our seatbelts, while humming, not a tune, just a deep sound.  
  
' **H** -How...' I start in a weak voice, rubbing my wrists.  
  
' _ **T**_ _a-ta-ta,_ ' he shushes me, 'We'll have time for questions later.'  
  
The vehicle still hasn't moved but I hear a lot of commotion outside. _What's going on ?!_ The doors finally open and I gasp in surprise. Without thinking, I jump off my seat and take a few steps back. A tall figure has just opened the door, blocking the view of the street. I don't know if it's the darkness that makes him scary but a shiver runs from my arms to the end of my toes and I can't keep my eyes off of him. His head is covered with pieces of burlap stitched together like a very creepy halloween mask and through the two simple holes that have been carelessly cut, I can see a pair of bright blue eyes glaring at us. He throws a small key to the Joker who swiftly catches it mid-air.  
  
' **E** verything went well.' His voice is cold and emotionless.  
  
' **G** ood,' the Joker says, while uncuffing us.  
  
The strange man gets off, followed by the two clowns and I get off carefully, the Joker right behind me. My heart is pounding in my chest and the adrenaline rushes again when I see the scene of chaos in front of me. We are in the middle of the road, there are three police cars behind us, sirens blasting, the officers either shot on the ground or fighting their partners who seem to have turned on them. I see a few brave, or _really stupid_ , passers-by standing on the sidewalk with their phones out, recording. I don't have time to register everything though as the Joker suddenly slaps a dirty piece of cloth over my nose and presses it tightly.  
  
' **H** old your breath,' he orders in my ear to make sure I hear him over the sound of the sirens.  
  
My first instinct is to try to pull his hand away because it _reeks_ of gasoline but when I understand what's happening I hold my breath with wide eyes and grasp the piece of cloth myself. The man with the burlap sack on his head is spraying some sort of gas. The officers still alive suddenly start to scream and cower, their face twisting in fear. _What's going on ?!_ We run through a cloud of gas and I squeeze my eyes shut, clutching at the Joker's arm. As we reach the other side of the road, I'm still holding my breath, too terrified to breathe. I glance up at the Joker and furrow my brows when I realize that he's been inhaling the gas the whole time. We walk for a few more seconds but I keep glancing sideways at him. He suddenly stops and I take a deep breath not being able to hold it any longer. Panting, I look back at the distressed officers in the distance. _What is it ? Why isn't the Joker reacting like them ?_  His eyelids droop for a few seconds, a glazed look on his expressionless face like he's getting lost in a deep thought. After blinking a few times, the thought is gone and he licks his lips rapidly.  
  
' **U** hh…' He clears his throat. 'You're _ok_ ?' he asks mockingly, glancing down at my fingers still clenched tightly around his arm.  
  
' **S** orry.' I withdraw my hand precipitately.  
  
The same van that we got in before getting arrested is parked by the side of the road and the Joker opens the door and gets in the back. I follow him without hesitating this time. The two clowns are already sitting in the driver and passenger seats and I shake my head in disbelief. _How did they pull that off ?_ Unfortunately, the man with the burlap sack enters the vehicle a few seconds after us and sits next to the Joker. _At least I'm not right next to him_. As soon as the door slams shut, we pull out, leaving the chaotic scene behind. I look out the window, still shaking. I'm cold but sweating at the same time. _Too many things happened in one night. It feels like the morning won't ever come._ My mind is getting foggier _. I've seen people recording the scene on the street. I'm gonna be on the news again… and it won't look good_.

The adrenaline is fading and slowly my body starts "feeling" again. _I am exhausted._ My eyelids feel so heavy that I have to shut my eyes for a few seconds before reopening them. I fight to stay awake, I _really_ do, but I know it's just a matter of minutes… _or seconds_. Seemingly reading my mind, the Joker pushes my head so it rests on his shoulder and I don't even have the energy to pull away. He starts humming a strange melody and all of a sudden, it's the only thing I can focus on. It's slightly creepy but I feel my mind drifting already, too tired to resist. Lulled by the familiar tune and the vibrations from his chest, I finally close my eyes and fall asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next: A little one-to-one with the Joker...
> 
> Thanks for the kudos/comments! Stay safe <3


	9. Chemistry

                                                                   

 

_I'm standing in the kitchen, a long knife in my hand. The window is slightly open, letting a cool breeze in. I stare at the washing machine sitting in the middle of the room. Strange. It's quiet, unnaturally quiet. No birds chirping, no cars, nothing.  
_

_'_ _ **R**_ _ose ?' I call in a weak voice.  
  
Then I hear a sound. The ticking of the wall clock. Repetitive, loud, unsettling. Then the ticking stops and the window slams shut. I spin on my heels and the Joker is standing in front of the sink, a knife in his hand. That's when I realize I'm not holding anything anymore, my fingernails just digging into my palms. He's staring right through me, humming a deep sound.  
  
'_ _ **W**_ _-what are you doing here ?' I ask weakly.  
  
He doesn't react nor look at me. As if I wasn't even there. He suddenly opens his mouth wide and brings the knife to his lips. I try to talk but I feel my throat closing in on itself, not letting anything escape my mouth. To my horror, he starts cutting his lips with the tip of the blade, blood dripping down his chin. Eyes wide open, I take a few steps back and his head suddenly turns to me. He stops and grins, blood covering his teeth and running down his neck. I want to scream but I can't. He suddenly strides towards me and starts spinning me frantically by the wrists.  
  
'_ _ **W** ooohoo_ _!' His voice is loud in my ear.  
  
His hands suddenly let go and I stumble back, feeling slightly nauseous. He's disappeared. It's dark. Night time.  
  
'_ _ **R**_ _ose ?' I call again.  
  
I'm about to head into the living room when I hear a loud 'thump' behind me. I turn around and Rose is sitting on top of the washing machine, in her night dress. Her eyes are glassy and she's just staring at the window. As I'm approaching her, her head slowly turns to me and I suddenly realize that she has black smeared all over her eyes.  
  
'_ _ **R**_ _ose ?' she repeats but it's my own voice coming out of her mouth._ _  
_  
I wake up with a loud gasp, heart pounding. I sit up and take a long breath in. _It was just a nightmare. A really creepy one_. I wipe the drops of sweat off my forehead with the back of my hand and fall back on the mattress. _Wait a minute_. My mind finally gets clearer and I straighten back up. _Where am I ?_ I glance around the room, bringing my knees up to my chest. The decor is so old-fashioned, I almost feel like I've travelled back a century. Every piece of furniture, from the small dresser under the gold framed mirror to the huge wardrobe, is old but still in good condition. There's a large wooden desk in the other corner facing one of the barred windows. _The glass is really dirty but I guess, it must be afternoon already._  
As I get up, I grab the white sheet and wrap it around my body. I glance down and realize that my foot has been bandaged and the pain is only faint. I walk slowly to the door, the floor creaking under my weight. I take a peek before slipping out the room.

At the end of the hallway, I step into the living room, immediately greeted with the GCN channel and the Joker's back facing me. I freeze for a second, not sure what to do. I notice he's changed his clothes. _A red checkered shirt, blue pants and his usual green suspenders_. His sleeves are rolled up, just above his elbows and he's mumbling things in a very low voice. I vaguely hear the name _Batman_ but the rest is unintelligible. My gaze lands on the TV again and my heart jumps up. _It's us. The night before_. I suddenly forget about the Joker and keep my eyes fixated on the screen. _It's actually worse than I thought. I see us escaping the scene, me clutching at his arm, wearing his coat. The red on my lips… Which by the way looks way too bright on the screen._ My stomach twists dreadfully. _What if the police doesn't believe me after that  ?_  
  
' **D** id you hear ?' The Joker glances over his shoulder, dark eyes looking up at me.  
  
I hadn't realized he had seen me and I try to erase the look of surprise from my face. He turns his head back to the screen and cracks his neck.  
  
' **Y** ou're a suspect now,' he taunts me, before a short chuckle passes his lips, 'You went from victim to suspect _really_ fast.'

I try not to let him get to me and I hold the sheet tighter around me.

' **T** here are clothes in the bedroom, you know,' he continues without turning his head, 'Why don't you help yourself.'  
  
_I didn't even think to look.  
_  
' **T** hese people won't need them anymore, that's a guaran- _tee_.'  
  
I stare at him for a minute, almost letting a ''why'' slip past my lips. I choose to stay quiet though and quickly walk back to the bedroom. _I don't want to know if he's killed the people that lived here too. I'd rather think the apartment has been abandoned_.

The doors of the wardrobe open with a squeaky noise and I sigh quietly. _Only dresses. At least ten different ones_. Instinctively, I pick up the longest one but I change my mind quickly. _The dress looks like it's been made from old curtains. It's hideous and just looking at the fabric is making my skin itch_. I spot two polka dot dresses, a red and a yellow one with white spots. I ditch the red one, not wanting to match with him and put the other one on. _I'm dying for a glass of water_. I reluctantly head back out and the Joker is already standing at the end of the hallway, a black bag over his shoulder.  
  
' **W** ell, look at _you_ , Nora.' He licks his lips and smiles, but the smile doesn't reach his eyes. 'I have to uh, run some _errands_ for a few hours. Eat, drink, sleep… I don't care what you do, but don't go _anywhere_.' He gives me a threatening glance and I nod.  
  
He could leave the door wide open, I still wouldn't go anywhere. _That's why he trusts me alone, he knows._ My mind is more focused on the eating and drinking part and he grunts, slamming the door shut. I hear the click of the lock and I hurry into the kitchen. I spot a pizza box on the counter and my stomach growls hungrily. I grab a glass and fill it with tap water. I start devouring the cold pizza while glancing out the window. Judging by the streets, we're back in the Narrows.

After having eaten more than I probably should have, I sit on the couch with a sigh. _How am I going to get out of this  ? I know I have to consider myself lucky to still be alive. But I feel completely helpless. I can only place my faith in Gordon... and Batman. The Joker's arrest is my only way out. And when that happens, I will go straight to Rose and never come back here again. Moving to Gotham was a reckless decision and I should have listened to Rose's opinion. It's always like this, isn't it  ? You don't learn until you make the mistake._ I flick through the channels absently, my mind drifting miles away… 

 

_ Two months earlier _

_' **H** ave you got everything, Nora  ?' Rose's voice echoes from the living room, downstairs._

_' **O** ne minute  !' I shout, wiping the tears._

_I place the small stuffed monkey back on my bed. I take a deep breath and head downstairs with a forced smile._

_' **T** he suitcase is already in the car,' Rose says, pointing at the taxi in front of the house._

_I nod, pursing my lips. My stomach is a knotted mess and my throat is so tight I'm not sure I can even talk. The tears are so close again, I have to avoid my aunt's stare. I don't want to go anymore… but my mom always said that Gotham was such a special place for her before she met my dad. I just have to see for myself. Rose holds my hands and I finally find the courage to look at her watery eyes._

_' **I** s that really what you want ? You know you can stay here, right ? Or we can find you a small apartment around here…'_

_She squeezes my hands tighter and my eyes fill with tears. I swallow hard and shake my head._

_' **I** need to do this. We've talked about it, I...' I sigh and bite the inside of my cheek. 'I'm going to miss you a lot.'_

_She pulls me towards her and holds me tight. My body tenses at first but I quickly relax in her arms as I feel her tears running down my shoulders. It breaks my heart and I feel guilty, but I can't stay here anymore. I need a fresh start._

_' **Y** ou take care of yourself, honey, promise me,' she whispers in my neck, 'Always be aware of your surroundings…'_

_' **I** know, I'll be careful,' I reassure her with a weak smile._

_' **I** know you know.' She takes a step back, a forced smile forming on her face._

_She wipes her cheeks and looks at me with a nod. I slowly walk to the front door, as the taxi driver starts beeping impatiently. I turn around and look at her one last time. Her lips are quivering and she gives me a quick kiss on the cheek._

_' **D** on't forget to text me when you arrive,' she reminds me._

_' **I** will.' I head for the taxi, heart tightening._

_' **L** ove you !'_

_I try to answer but the words get stuck in my throat, so I wave at her and get in the taxi._

_' **T** he airport ?' the driver confirms, glancing at me in the mirror._

_' **H** m-mh.' I nod quietly, looking back at the house through the window._

_As we're driving down the road, I wave at Rose until we turn left and the house is out of view. As soon as she disappears, I stop waving and the tears burst like water from a dam, spilling down my face._

 

Present day  
  
I've been staring at the screen for about an hour. A really cheesy horror movie is on and I watch the mediocre acting with little interest. When the movie finally ends, I turn the TV off and head to the bathroom. _Anything that might keep my mind occupied, instead of just sitting there feeling sorry for myself._

The water is ice cold but I don't even mind. As I'm slipping back into the yellow dress, I hear the front door slam. My whole body tenses up and I quickly tie my damp hair up in a bun.

' **N** ora.' His nasal voice is already calling me.

I silently walk back to the living room, goosebumps covering my arms. I notice that the bag he's carrying seems pretty heavy now. He drops it on the couch with a sigh and turns to me with an annoyed look.

' **B** e a doll and get me the first aid kit,' he asks flatly.

Then I notice the gash on his left forearm, blood dripping down his hands onto the carpet. Without any comment, I head for the bathroom and find the small kit in the cabinet. I place it on the kitchen counter as he's already cleaning the wound under the tap. Then, he sits on one of the bar stools.

' _ **H**_ _m_.' He rolls the sleeve higher. 'Sit down.'

I sit next to him, watching him prepare a needle and thread. He grabs the disinfectant and splashes it carelessly all over the wound. I scrunch my nose up but he barely winces and just hands me the needle with a straight face. I furrow my brows. _I know how to stitch a wound, but only in theory._

' **I** -I'mnot sure I can do it right,' I stutter, shaking my head.

' **O** f course you can,' he cuts me off confidently.

I take the needle with shaky hands. _That's going to hurt._

' **A** ww… Are you scared to _hurt_ me ?' he guesses in a slightly mocking tone, 'Very touching, Nora, but I can take the pain.'

I take a silent breath and I start, trying to focus on the things he's done to me. _He stabbed me and I had to have stitches too. I should actually be enjoying this_. I'm surprised by how much self-control he has, I have to give him that. He's completely still, barely wincing when the needle goes through his skin. I get more confident and try to finish as fast as possible. He grunts in pain, before letting a chuckle out.

' **N** ot holding back anymore, I _see,_ ' he snarls, staring at my focused face.

' **N** ope.'

I finally finish and drop everything on the counter before getting up. My hands are still shaking but I try to look unfazed, gripping the counter behind my back.

' **G** ood job,' the Joker admits, after examining the wound, 'Too bad you weren't there to do, uh… _these_ ,' he adds, referring to the scars on his face.

I watch him cover the wound with a bandage and I hold back the obvious question that pops in my mind. He steps towards me and, as usual, stops a bit too close. I have to lift my head to meet his eyes and he seems to be waiting for something.

' **J** ust ask the question, Nora.'

I can't stop my eyes from glancing at his mouth before moving back up to his eyes.

' **H** ow did you get them ?'

A glint of satisfaction passes in his eyes as soon as the question escapes my lips. He places his hands on the counter, on each side of my body, effectively trapping me with his arms. My body immediately shrinks away but he doesn't seem to notice, or most likely _care_. I can barely hold his stare but his intimidating eyes are glued to mine, making sure I'm listening.

' **I** grew up in an…' He looks up, seemingly thinking. '...orphanage. Horrible place. They would starve the kids, beat them up, sell them sometimes. I was one of 'em. Until one day, I can't take it anymore. I _leave_.' His eyes are staring at my lips and then back up at my eyes. 'I stay on the streets, living off the city's _waste_ until one day, I meet this man. Very polite, very… _rich_. He says to me that I shouldn't live like this, that I _deserve_ better.' He shakes his head frantically, his eyes staring behind me. 'And my poor little _innocent_ mind believed him ! _So_ … I went with him.'

I shift nervously against the counter, my gaze dropping to his chest.

' **N** ext thing I know, the blade of his knife is in my mouth.' He shoves his hand in his pocket and gets a small knife out, waving it in my face. 'This one, to be precise. And he does _this_ …' He turns his head from side to side. '... to my face. Telling me I'll _smile_ for the rest of my life !'

He lets a high-pitched cackle out and I just stare at him, horrified.

' **W** hat happened to that man ?'

' **W** ell, I, uh… _killed_ him shortly after.'

' **B** ut you were just a kid.' I shake my head in confusion.

' _ **S**_ _ooo_? What was I supposed to do, _thank_ him ?' he retorts mockingly, 'Although I suppose, I _should_ thank him now.'

I stare at the patterns of his shirt and he just licks his scars, still staring at me.

' **I** s this even true ?' I ask him after a few seconds.

His scarred mouth stretches and he tilts his head to the side, finally straightening back up.

' **W** ell, _maybe_.' His gaze falls lazily on me again. 'Or maybe I've done this to myself and there isn't any sad, pathetic story to explain it. What would you rather it to be, _hmm_  ?'

I smile bitterly and step away from him. _I almost believed it. But again, maybe the story is true. I'll never know for sure... but I don't need to feel sorry for him anyway_. I'm already walking away through the living room when his voice stops me abruptly in my tracks.

' **D** on't move !'

My body reacts to his stern voice before my mind even realizes it. I hear the swish of a knife through the air followed by a short 'clang'. My heart jumps when I realize he's just thrown a knife at the wall, flying only inches from my face. He chuckles quietly when he notices my shocked face.

' **C** an you throw a knife, Nora ?' he asks, sitting nonchalantly on the kitchen counter.

 _Well, I can throw it, but it will just bounce off the wall_.

' **N** o,' I reply flatly.

' **C** ome here,' he says and I walk back to him without a word.

He leans forward and places a knife in my hand, gesturing at the living room wall. I sigh quietly and throw it. Without any surprise, the handle bounces off the wall and the knife almost hits the TV. I turn to him, raising my eyebrows.

' **S** ee,' I say in a quiet voice.

' **H** m.' He jumps off the counter and gets another knife out.

He hands it to me and as soon as I grab it, his warm fingers tighten over mine. I resist the urge to pull away from his hand, instead just staring at it. White and black paint stain his fingers, his dirty nails could definitely do with a trim and his knuckles are slightly bruised.

' **H** ammer grip.' He readjusts my fingers around the handle. 'Bend your wrist. Straight line, up and down. Don't try to _spin_ it,' he adds, his eyes slightly drooping, 'Or you're gonna stab yourself in the knee.'

I nod and try again. This time, the blade hits the wall but the knife falls on the floor.

' **A** gain,' he orders without a smile.

I pick up the knife and try again. Before I get to throw it, he pushes me one or two steps forward. I focus and throw it again. The knife flies through the air and the blade lands into the wall with a sharp sound. _I've done it._

' _ **S**_ _eee_.' He smacks his lips and gives me a satisfied look.

I throw the knives a few more times and I'm surprisingly not that bad. _I wouldn't go as far as to say that I'm having fun, but I'd rather throw knives all day than being dragged out on his crazy ''missions''._

' **W** hy are you doing this ?' I've gathered my courage to finally ask him.  
  
' **D** oing… _what_ ?' He pulls the knives out of the wall, one by one.  
  
' **K** illing people, you know. Terrorizing Gotham…'  
  
' **Y** ou're saying it like I'm a monster, Nora. This is human nature, I'm just _embracing_ it. You can fight it if you want, but it doesn't mean it's not there. Anybody can be just like me, given, uh… the right _circumstances_. Even you.' He points at me with one of the knife. 'I'm just trying to show the world, the _schemers_ , how pathetic their attempts to control things really are. I'm just showing them that anybody, even the most honourable men, can stop following the rules. Order isn't natural, _chaos_ is.'  
  
' **Y** ou're…' I pause, searching for the right words.  
  
' **W** hat ? _Craazy_  ?'

 _Not crazy_. _Because it makes sense, in a messed up way, of course._  
  
' **N** o... You're wrong. I know that some people can turn bad, _given the right circumstances_ , but, not everybody,' I explain, staring at all the knives now lying on the counter.  
  
' **N** ot _you_ ?' He takes a step closer, absently fiddling with a knife.  
  
' **N** ot me.'

He turns his head to the side, his eyes still fixated on mine. He squints and points the tip of the blade at me.

' **H** ow can you be sooo… _sure_  ?' he asks after a long pause.

' **I** just know.' I shrug my shoulders.  
  
' **I** t's a good thing you're here then.' He licks his lips and nods rapidly. 'Front row seats are _always_ the best seats.'

The knot in my stomach tightens at his last statement.  
  
' **I** don't really need to be here, though,' I comment in a quiet voice, avoiding his eyes.  
  
' **W** ell, to be honest, not _really_ , but I have gone through your phone, Nora and…' He lowers his voice as if he's about to tell me a secret. 'You don't have _friends._ '  
  
He stares me down, waiting for my reaction.  
  
' **A** nd ?' I retort.  
  
' **W** ell... You must be really _bored_.' He scrunches his nose up. 'I'm just trying to be a good _friend_.'  
  
I want to tell him that he doesn't seem to have friends either, but it would be irrelevant.  
  
' **Y** ou're not my friend,' I point out sharply.  
  
He frowns and the corners of his mouth drop as if my words just hurt his feelings.  
  
' **W** ell that's a bit _cold_ , don't you think ?' He raises his eyebrows, lines forming on his forehead. 'Considering you have nobody else here, but _me_.'

 _I know he's just trying to get to me but it… works_. _This is so surreal. Here I am, chatting and throwing knifes with Gotham's most notorious criminal. Most people would try to take him down, as soon as they have the chance… and the weapons. Not me. Even if Rose's life wasn't on the line, I'd probably be too scared to fail and get killed. Does that make me a bad person ?_

' **C** an I rest now, please ?' I ask in a neutral tone.

He nods, gesturing towards the hallway. I put the knife down and walk away. I know his eyes are following me until I disappear down the hallway. I let a long breath out and shut the bedroom door precipitately. I rest my back against it and glance around the room. I didn't really pay attention before but there's a small bookcase, a really tiny one, that only holds about twenty books. I crouch and pick a random one. _I need to get my mind off of things. I don't know how long I have left before he decides to play with my life again_.

Thankfully, I hear him leave a few hours later and I decide to get more rest. The scary thoughts popping in my head are physically exhausting and I fall asleep almost instantly.

_______________________

When I finally wake up the next day, I feel like I'm waking up from a coma. Rays of sunshine are filtering through the dirty windows, landing on my face. My eyes flicker open and I struggle to sit up. _How long have I slept for ?_ I jump up when I realize that the Joker is sitting at the desk in the room. The window is wide open and I shiver, rubbing my forehead a few times.

' **C** ome here, Nora,' he says, as soon as he hears the bed squeak.

I get up painfully and glance at the different bottles and plastic bowls spread messily all over the desk. There are so many different smells mixed together that I can't even identify one. He's hunched over a small bowl filled with a cloudy liquid and he doesn't even spare me a glance. His hair looks strangely clean and he's wearing his usual clothes again.

' **W** hat are you doing ?' I ask, the curiosity taking over.

He drops what looks like a dried leaf in the mixture and stares at it intensely.

' **S** omething I wanted to do a _looong_ time ago and I finally got what I needed. Thanks to our _dear Scarecrow,_ ' he adds in a drawl.

_Oh. Scarecrow. It must be the man with the burlap sack._

' **I** s that what this is ?' I suddenly ask, 'The... gas ?'

' **T** hat was the _fear_ gas, Nora,' he rectifies, finally looking up at me, 'I don't want people to be scared, I want people to be, uh... _happy_  !'

He lets a cackle out and my stomach twists. The word 'happy' doesn't sound right coming out of his mouth.

' **H** ow comes it didn't work on you ?' I can't help asking, genuinely curious.

He chuckles again and lets a low grunt out.

' **W** ell. First, I have no _fear_. Second, you know when you're exposed to a certain, uh… _chemical_ , you become resistant to it. Like a… _snake_ with its own venom.'

He pauses abruptly and looks up, as if an idea just popped in his mind.

' **V** enom. _Venom,_ ' he repeats the word a few times rapidly, as if he had just discovered it.

He shrugs his shoulders and mutters something incomprehensible.

' **O** k,' I say almost in a whisper.

' **W** hat's your favorite color ?' He asks suddenly, his attention back on the mixture.  
  
I hesitate, staring at the strange liquid. _My favorite color is purple_.  
  
' **B** lue,' I reply instead, not wanting to choose ''his'' colour.  
  
He squints at me and his jaw clenches a few times as if he's chewing something.  
  
' **Y** ou're lying,' he comments after a few seconds.  
  
_How does he always know ?!_  
  
' **P** urple,' I admit in a quiet voice.  
  
He flashes me a yellow grin and gets another tiny bottle out of his pocket.  
  
' **G** ood.... _choice_.'  
  
He opens it and counts three drops before closing it rapidly.  
  
' **T** hat's the only color I had anyway,' he adds with a chuckle. 'Sit.'  
  
I furrow my brows at his last request and step back towards the bed. He smacks his lips and rolls his eyes.  
  
' **N** ot all the way over there. _Here_.' He pats his lap with a smirk. 'You need to see what happens.'  
  
_Does he seriously want me to sit on his lap ?_ I hesitate, brushing my fingers through my hair. _It's weird._ I realize he's still staring at me and all trace of humour has disappeared, replaced by a look of steely coldness.  
  
' **S** it _down_.'  
  
I clench my jaw and step closer to him. I'm sure he can see my legs shaking as I finally sit on his lap, trying not to put all my weight down on him. _This is definitely uncomfortable_. He resumes what he's doing in silence and I'm so close to the desk that my nose is right above the bowl. I can feel his breath hitting the back of my neck and my heart starts beating faster. I start feeling warm, despite the cold air creeping through the window. His arms are extended in front of him, trapping me between him and the desk. I don't know if it's his body heat, the chemical emanations or just my anxiety but I suddenly feel like I can't breathe. He starts mumbling under his breath and I just push his arms away and stand back up.  
  
An exaggerated shock written on his face, the Joker raises his eyebrows, his white forehead wrinkling up. He tilts his head and one of his eye slightly twitches.  
  
' **D** idI make you, uh… _uncomfortable_  ?'  
  
I glare at him without answering and he sighs dramatically. He turns back to the mixture without another word and adds the final ingredient. _A drop of a very dark liquid_. _Kind of what you would expect poison to look like_. It instantly bubbles up and after a few seconds, a puff of purple smoke rises in the air and he leans back in his chair.  
  
' _ **T**_ _a-da_ !' he exclaims, looking up at me, like a magician who just performed an impressive trick.  
  
I don't know if I have to react at all so I just silently stare at the small bowl containing the dark liquid.  
  
' **S** hall we uh… go out and _try_ it ?' he asks, slowly getting up.  
  
' **N** o,' I reply precipitately.  
  
The corners of his scarred mouth slightly drop and he looks disappointed. He steps closer to me, a finger lifting up my chin and his eyes seem to be studying every inches of my face.  
  
' **W** hat… You're not even a _liittle_ bit curious ?'  
  
' **N** o,' I repeat again, holding his stare.  
  
_That 'fear gas' was bad enough to witness, I don't want to find out the sick outcome of the Joker's one_. His tongue peeks out to lick the corners of his mouth and he exhales loudly.

' **W** ell, _unfortunately_ , I make the decisions here.' He leans a bit closer, his hair brushing my cheeks. 'And we _are_ trying it.'

He puts his arm around my waist, forcing me to follow him out of the bedroom.

' **W** hat is it ?' I ask almost in a desperate voice, trying to slow him down.

He lifts his head to the ceiling and then shrugs his shoulders with a grunt.

' **I** haven't decided on a _name_ yet.'

' **W** hat does it do ?!' I stop halfway down the hallway, forcing him to stop too.

His smile grows wider when he hears my worried tone and he leans slightly towards me, his deep voice right in my ear.

' _ **O** hh_, you won't be disappointed.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stay safe! love <3


	10. Close call

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OK, finally posting chapter 10... I have STRUGGLED getting this chapter out, not sure why. I've started it, then read it and I just hated it so much I had to delete it. I started it again and… yeah still not happy with it. But I'm posting it now and moving on to the next chapter because if I read it I'm just going to end up deleting it again. Lol ANYWAY, I'll let you read that crap now… <3

                                                              

 

His hand is already resting on the handle when a sudden noise makes him freeze. _Footsteps running up the stairs._ His eyes slowly turn to me, expressionless. 

 _'_ _ **G**_ _CPD, open up !'_  
  
My heart almost bursts in surprise. Just when I think this is the moment I've been waiting for, there's a loud knock on the neighbour's door. _It's not for us. But they're so close. I could just scream…_ The Joker's eyes are fixated on me and I think he can see what's happening in my head, because one second later, he's slamming me against the wall, a gloved hand covering my mouth. He's staring me down menacingly, turning my head to the side with his hand.  
  
' **D** on't even _think_ about it,' he whispers in my ear.  
  
I shake my head rapidly but he doesn't move his hand. There's another loud banging next door and I hear a female's voice protesting aggressively, telling them to ''fuck off''.  
****

_' **Y** ou're under arrest for attempted murder.'_  
  
The Joker exhales loudly, muttering the word "attempted" as if it was an absurd thing to hear. The stress spreads through my mind and I feel like I _should_ do something, but there's nothing I can do. _If only I hadn't stopped him a few seconds earlier, we would have walked out straight to them coming up…_   I can hear muffled sounds, some footsteps go into next door apartment and some go back downstairs. The Joker finally releases me and I glance up at him to see if it's safe to move away from him. He gestures toward the living room without a word and I walk back to the couch. _It's so frustrating to have the police so close to me and not being able to do anything about it_. The Joker sits down and I sit on the other end of the couch, as far as possible. During the next few seconds of awkward silence, I just stare at my feet and the Joker is sitting straight, hands clasped in his lap. He finally clears his throat, tilts his head to the right with a side-glance at me.  
  
' **M** ovie ?' he suggests nodding towards the tv.  
  
There's a short pause before I finally ask.  
  
' **W** hat ?' I furrow my brows.  
  
He purses his lips and his eyes roam confusingly the living room before landing back on me.  
  
' **I** sn't it, uh… what people _do_?' He raises his eyebrows at me. 'Watch movies ?'  
  
' **I** guess yeah,' I mumble, shifting uncomfortably on the couch.  
  
He turns the tv on and I can't help but focusing on the police officers next door. _They sound like they're trashing the place, but that's what they do when they search, right ? What if they knock on our door ? They might want to talk to the neighbours... Though, if we don't answer, they probably wouldn't insist_. Surprisingly, the Joker doesn't seem too bothered by the turn of events and he's already casually flicking through the channels.  
  
' **W** ould you really hurt my aunt ?' I suddenly ask, glancing at him.  
  
With the same smile on his face, he turns to me and cocks his eyebrows.  
  
' **W** anna go out there and… try your luck ?' He points at the door.  
  
I start biting my bottom lip, deep in thought. _I know he's probably bluffing… He could have found out her address and the colour of her house on the internet. Him actually going there seems like a lot of hassle just for me… Maybe I could just run to the next apartment and inform the GCPD. What could the Joker do ? Well… except gutting me with one of his knives before I make it to the door._  
  
' **I** guess that's a _no,_ ' the Joker adds mockingly.  
  
I shake my head, trying to focus on the screen. _It isn't worth the risk._  
  
' **Y** ou wouldn't do that to _me_ anyway, would you ?' he continues and his eyes still haven't left mine.

' **D** o what ?' I mumble, not even blinking.

' **S** ell me out to the GCPD !'  
  
' **W** hy not ?' I snort, keeping my eyes on the screen.  
  
' **Y** ou don't seem like someone who would stab a _friend_ in the back,' he states, shaking his head as if it was a crazy idea.  
  
' **I** 'm here against my will,' I remind him coldly, 'And we're not friends.'  
  
' **T** hat's… _hurtful_.' He turns his head to the tv with a smile.  
  
_I would happily run away now._  
  
' _ **S**_ _ooo,_ ' he starts again, moving closer to me.  
  
There's still some distance between us, but I can't help moving slightly away.  
  
' **I** f, say, the police were to kick down the door now, shooting me dead right here, you wouldn't care at all ? You wouldn't feel…' His eyes roll to me and he leans closer. '... _anything_  ?'  
  
As he's asking the question, my brain automatically pictures the scene and I don't like it. _I guess he'd deserve it but I don't necessarily want him to die. Rotting in a cell for the rest of his life sits well with me._

' **I** don't want to see anybody die,' I answer vaguely.  
  
He seems to be satisfied with my answer as his lips stretch into a grin.  
  
' **I** 'm starting to _grow_ on you.'  
  
I shake my head and look away. He licks his lips and his eyes finally turn back to the tv. _I'm fully aware that he's doing it on purpose. He's trying to plant ideas in my mind, forcing me to think about them. And it works. What if I start hating him less ? I mean, I'm still scared of him, but it's… different. The truth is, apart from my aunt, I've never spent a lot of time alone with anyone before. How sad is that ? No close friends, merely a few acquaintances I've now lost contact with, no real boyfriends, a few dates only. In general, I avoid any situation where I have to be alone with someone for too long but, in this case, I didn't really have a choice._  
I feel like I can't turn my thoughts off and I smooth the yellow dress over my lap in a nervous gesture. _Is there still some sort of humanity left inside him ?_ I give the Joker a quick sideways glance before setting my eyes on the tv. _There must be if he knows that what he's doing is bad._ I sigh and watch the gruesome scene on the screen. I don't really enjoy that kind of movie but, without surprise, the Joker seems to find it hilarious as he's giggling uncontrollably.

 _I can't relax_.

My ears are trying to pick up any noise coming from next door and my whole body is on high alert. _What happens when they leave ? Do we leave too ?_ As soon as the questions cross my mind, I hear the footsteps leaving the apartment and heading back downstairs. The Joker gets his pocket watch out and checks the time.  
  
' **W** e're gonna lay low for a few hours,' he says as if he had just read my mind.  
  
I nod my head and wait. _That's all I can do._

______________________

  
The hours seem to fly by and the sun has already set. I've gone through the wardrobe in hopes of finding a pair of shoes, but I've got no luck. So, as a last resort, I've bandaged both feet to get at least a little protection. _Better than nothing I guess_. The Joker is at the window, checking the street and I'm growing increasingly nervous.  
  
' **C** ome on, Nora. Time to have _fun_!' He puts his gloves back on and nods towards the door.  
  
I go out first, forcing my feet to move quickly. The dark decrepit hallway is empty and even if I can barely hear him, I can feel the Joker's presence right behind me. _I wish he would have just left me in that apartment…_ I haven't even taken anything to wear over my dress, but when I walk out on the sidewalk, a strangely warm wind blows through my hair. The Joker pushes past me and I silently follow him. There aren't a lot of people outside, but the few passers-by I spot, immediately cross the road when they see us. Well, _him_.

We walk for a few minutes before stopping in front of a car. This time, the doors are open and the key is already in the ignition. I don't ask any questions, though. As he's starting the engine, his phone rings and an exasperated grunt escapes his lips.  
  
' _ **Y**_ _esss ?_ ' His voice is halfway between falsely polite and irritated.  
  
He blinks a few times but his expression remains unchanged.  
  
' **A** h.'  
  
He hangs up and pulls out with a _'hmm… ok'._ I resist the urge to ask what's going on. I'm not sure if it was good or bad news, his face is totally blank. I put my seatbelt on as soon as he starts driving and I brace myself for the night.

*

 _The drive is unfortunately too short_. A part of me is relieved to get out of the car but the other one would rather not have to witness what's going to happen tonight.

As I'm about to open the passenger door, the Joker slaps my lap roughly and clicks his tongue.  
  
' **S** tay right here.'  
  
_In the car ?_ Reluctantly, I settle back in the seat and a sick feeling twists my insides. The car is parked up in a dark alleyway, headlights off. I shift in my seat and he slams the door shut, leaving me in the dark. I lean back in my seat and sigh loudly, watching the main road a few feet away. _I can't see a soul, but I don't think it's that late. Where's everybody ?_  
  
Half an hour later, he reappears… _dragging an unconscious man by his armpits_. My whole body stiffens and I sit straight. The Joker opens the door and hoists him into the back seat. I'm slightly thankful that the man has a bag covering his head, so I can't put a face on the poor victim yet.

' **K** eep an eye on him, will ya ?' the Joker grunts before slamming the door and disappearing around the corner.  
  
' **Y** eah, sure,' I mutter under my breath, furrowing my brows.  
  
_Does he really think I can stop a man from escaping if he wants to ?_ I turn around to glance at him. He's wearing an expensive suit and smart shoes. _Not surprising the Joker chose him_. His hands are tied up in front of him and I can't be certain he's knocked out but he doesn't seem to be moving. I turn back around and wait. I stare at the empty street in front of the car and pray nobody decides to turn into the alleyway. But as the seconds pass, my conscious starts getting louder in my head. I close my eyes and try to think rationally. _I can't just sit there and be ok with this_. _This isn't who I am_. I rub my lap nervously. _If I help them, will I regret it ? Probably._ I glance over my shoulder again and let a nervous breath out. _Screw it_. I reach behind and snatch the bag off his head. _I need to look at his face and remind myself that every life matters, not just mine._ I gasp and drop the bag when I see two familiar eyes staring right at me.  
  
' _ **N**_ _ora_?!'

_____________________

My mouth is still open and I need a few seconds to realize who's in front of me. Bruce Wayne immediately straightens himself in the seat and leans towards me.

' **J** esus. Are you ok ?!' His piercing eyes don't leave mine and I just stare at him for a few seconds, not sure what to reply.

Apart from the red bump on his forehead, he doesn't seem to have to any injuries. _Was he conscious the whole time ?_ Before he gets to speak again, I unfasten my belt and examine his ties.  
  
' **I** 'm fine,' I reply precipitately, 'But you have to go.'  
  
Almost frantically, I start searching the glove box and I find a small knife lying under a few manuals. _Yes !_ I start cutting the ties but he pulls away, trying to make eye contact with me.

' **I** 'm not going anywhere without you.'

I sigh impatiently. _There's no time for this_. I resume cutting the ties again buut this time he doesn't stop me.

' **I** appreciate that,' I thank him quickly, 'But I can't come with you.'

He shakes the ties off and raises an interrogative eyebrow.  
  
' **N** ora.' He grabs my hand as soon as he's free.  
  
' **I** can't come, he… he'll hurt someone I love. You have to go before he comes back.'  
  
He furrows his brows but doesn't let go of my wrist, instead just squeezing it tighter.  
  
' **L** isten to me… It's a _miracle_ he hasn't killed you yet. People are starting to think that you're with him…'  
  
' **I** don't care what people think, I can't go ! Don't ruin everything, please just go !' I cut him off desperately.  
  
_If he comes back now, then we're both screwed._ He seems to read the panic in my eyes and thankfully, he finally lets go of me and exits the vehicle.  
  
' **G** ive me anything to help us find you,' he quickly whispers in a deep voice, ' _Anything_.'  
  
' **E** rmm... we're in an old apartment in the Narrows,' I whisper quickly, trying to think of something useful, 'Oh, yeah. The police arrested one neighbour earlier, a woman.'  
  
' **N** ame ?'  
  
' **N** o, I don't know. She got arrested for attempted murder, that's all I know,' I add quickly, glancing at the street.

Bruce's eyes scan the dark alleyway as well, leaning forward through the open door.  
  
' **W** e'll find you, I _promise_.' His stare is so deep and intense that I have to believe him. 'He didn't search me by the way, just say I had a knife.'

' **O** k,' I whisper, nodding rapidly.

He holds the door open and seems to hesitate for a second.

' **A** re you sure you can survive another night ?' He purses his lips, reading my facial expression.

' **Y** es.'

He nods and quickly shuts the door. I let a silent breath out as I watch him disappear down the dark alleyway. My heart is pounding in my chest and I slowly turn back in my seat. _What am I going to say ? I'm not a good liar_. I take another deep breath and rub my forehead. _I've finally saved someone_. My eyes look up again and if I hadn't been so panicked a few seconds ago then maybe I would have noticed him, leaning against the wall, staring right at me. _Bill_.

  
________________________

I swallow hard. _Shit_. He saw it all, I can see it in his eyes. He walks up to the car and opens my door with a sigh. I try to hide my shaky hands but I can't even look up at him. He crouches to be at my level and he suddenly looks very intimidating. He cocks his eyebrows and his voice is strangely calm, almost soft which only makes me more nervous.  
  
' **C** are to explain what the fuck just happened ?'  
  
Instead of trying to come up with a good lie, something I'm really bad at anyway, I decide to be honest. _I don't even know how much of this he witnessed_. I turn to him and wrap my arms around myself.  
  
' **H** e saved my life before... well, his butler did. But he helped me. I had to let him go,' I explain in a low voice, 'Is there _any_ chance you could not tell him what you saw ?'  
  
His eye twitches but his unreadable stare doesn't give away any emotions. In a quick move and without any warning, he snatches the knife out of my hand and cuts my cheek. I immediately hold the stinging cut with my palm and look up at him in confusion.

' **A** t least, make it _look_ real,' he whispers without a smile.

He wipes the few drops of blood off the blade and puts it back in the glovebox. That's when the Joker decides to come back. I feel like I could cry right now. _He's going to kill me_. He stops in his tracks when he realizes that the back seat is empty. He looks around him almost theatrically and then his eyes are on me.  
  
' **W** here's my, uh… little _rat_ ?' He tilts his head, getting closer to us.  
  
I close my eyes and shake my head. _I can't even look at him._  
  
' **I** -I'm sorry… he got away,' I stutter, still holding my cheek.  
  
The Joker pushes Bill out of the way and crouches in front of me. He slaps my hand off my face and examines the cut. He presses his thumb right on it, pushing more blood out, but I don't even flinch. He licks his finger, tasting a drop of blood and I try very hard not to scrunch my face up in confusion. He licks his lips and finally starts speaking.  
  
' **H** ow did he get away, _hmm_ ?'  
  
The lump in my throat gets bigger and he squints at me, not blinking.  
  
' **H** e had a knife and... he was really quick. He's a billionaire, he must be trained for situations like that.' I try to sound casual but my voice doesn't even sound right to me.  
  
He studies my face and I'm almost certain he can tell I'm lying, he always can. But weirdly he doesn't get mad, he doesn't threaten me, he only straightens back up and lets a long sigh out.  
  
' _ **W**_ _ell,_ ' He starts, pushing a strand of hair of his face, 'Getting Bruce Wayne _was_ the jackpot, but… _never mind,_ we'll get someone else. And this time, you're coming with me, _Nora_.'  
  
_Is that all ?_ I nod my head vigorously. The idea is terrifying but I'm relieved he's not actually doubting my story. I glance up at Bill who's already walking away.  
  
' **F** inish the job, Billy,' the Joker adds and Bill nods without a word.  
  
I thank him mentally. _He didn't have to protect me, he doesn't owe me anything._ _Now, I guess I owe him_. The young man disappears around the corner with a slight limp and I put my feet back in the car. The Joker shuts the door and starts the engine. There's a weird tension in the atmosphere and I start feeling really uncomfortable. He's strangely quiet and doesn't even spare me a glance. Though, I notice his hands are tightening around the wheel, making the leather of his purple gloves creak quietly. _What's going on ?_ Fear overwhelms me again and I don't move, I barely breathe, not wanting to attract any unnecessary attention on me.

___________________

After another twenty minutes of drive, we reach another neighbourhood of Gotham. _Closer to downtown, busier, cleaner_. As to the Joker's mood… it has changed _drastically._ From quiet and focused, he's become excited. He literally jumps out of the vehicle and in a couple of strides, he's in front of my door. He grabs me by the hand and pulls me out. Licking his lips a few times, he starts whispering things under his breath and giggling to himself. I follow him anxiously. _He's making me more and more nervous_. His eyes are wide open and he's walking with rapid steps, glancing around him with a small smile. I want to ask him not to do this or at least to leave me out of it, but it's pointless.

We're walking towards a huge imposing building with white distinctive columns at the front. _I remember seeing it in a Gotham travel guide that I read at my aunt's before coming here_. I don't have time to admire it though as I basically have to run up the stairs to keep up with him. We enter the building quietly and my bandaged feet almost slip on the smooth, marble floor. The old man at the door approaches us but, when he recognizes the criminal, he immediately backs away and probably wishes he could disappear. The Joker doesn't even acknowledge him and strolls into the hallway as if he owned the place, me reluctantly trotting behind. I can hear music and faint voices, the muffled bass making the walls slightly vibrate. _There's obviously a party in one of the rooms_. In the distance, I see a few people standing outside the door, laughing and drinking.  
  
' **Y** ou know that man's calling the police, right ?' I whisper.

I don't know why I say it, that's never stopped him before. _I could get the old man in trouble as well_. The Joker gives me a side-glance before lifting his eyes up.  
  
' **I** know _that_. We have, uh… ten minutes until they come. Let's make them _count_.'  
  
_Unless they have a patrol around the corner…_ We're only a few feet away from the group of people now but they're so focused on their conversation that they don't even notice us approaching. I slow down and I don't know what to do anymore. _I wish I could just turn around and run._

' **G** ood evening La-...' the Joker pauses when the only two women dart back into the room in panic, '... well, _gentlemen_.'  
  
The men are a bit braver but their faces turn white very quickly. _I think they want to run away too but are probably scared to do it now_. A short man with black curly hair and a glass of champagne immediately holds his hands out in front of him.  
  
' **O** k. Ok. You can take whatever you want, man. We don't want any trouble.' He starts patting his pockets frantically, almost spilling the drink on himself. 'We have money, we…'  
  
' **D** o I look poor ?' the Joker cuts him off, stepping towards him slowly.  
  
His eerily calm voice echoes through the empty hallway and there's a short tension-filled silence. The man looks confused for a second.  
  
' **W** -what ?'  
  
' **Y** ou're offering me money, so do I look, uh… _poor_?' the Joker repeats, cocking his head to the side.  
  
' **N** o, no, you're… I just thought… I never meant it to…' the man stutters, shaking his head.  
  
The other men are just staring at the Joker with a horrified look but they don't step in to help their friend. The man starts apologizing more and I just feel so bad for him, I can't even look at him in the eyes. The Joker is staring into space, his head slightly tilted to the side. A few awkward seconds later, the man finally stops talking and glances over his shoulder, probably considering running away. The Joker suddenly shakes his head and fakes an apologetic look.  
  
' **O** h. I'm _sorry_. I wasn't listening, I was just, uh… counting how much time there's left.'

' **L** eft till w-what ?' the man's voice comes out shaky.  
  
' **U** ntil…'  
  
The Joker lifts his eyes up to the ceiling, shoving his hand in his coat. I see a small black bottle, probably the size of a pepper spray, now resting in his hand. I take an instinctive step back.  
  
'... **t** his.' the Joker finishes, with a satisfied smirk, spraying the gas in the man's face.  
  
He stumbles back, shaking his head a few times. He freezes for a second, then starts giggling. It's quiet at first, his shoulders barely shaking but it gets louder and louder. His friends frown and exchange a confused look. Soon, the man is bursting into laughter, as if he's heard the funniest joke on earth. It doesn't stop though and that's when I know there's something really wrong. His laugh becomes… _hysterical_. His eyes widen, his smile stretches and the laugh must easily be heard from outside. I gasp and cover my mouth with my hand when I start seeing blood appear in the corners of his mouth. All his veins are popping out, and his eyes are slowly bulging out. Suddenly, I realize that he can't breathe. Indeed, his frenzied laugh becomes so uncontrollable that it stops him from being able to catch his breath. The smile doesn't stop stretching either and the unusual grin is starting to seriously disfigure his face. I turn around and close my eyes. _I can't watch this_. The other men run back inside the room, except for one who's still staring at his friend with a shocked expression. The Joker doesn't pay attention to him though, his eyes are focused on the poor guy laughing maniacally.  
  
' **F** ascinating,' he whispers, his lips stretching into a cruel smile.  
  
Suddenly, out of sheer stupidity, the other man snatches the small bottle out of the Joker's hand and sprays him. I jump back, surprised by his sudden boldness. When he realizes that the criminal hasn't even blinked, the brave guy starts shaking and takes a quick step back. The loud laughter abruptly stops and his friend collapses on the floor.  
  
' **W** ell…' The Joker takes the gas back with a mocking grin. 'You _tried_.'  
  
Before he can run away, the Joker grabs him by the back of his neck and throws him against the wall. He falls on the floor and looks up in panic.  
  
' _ **Y**_ _ou_ can tell the police what happened.' The Joker flashes him a smile as if he's doing him a favour.

 _He really is._ He searches his coat again but this time, he gets another object that looks like a gas canister.  
  
' **D** on't...' I start but he's already thrown it in the room where the party is happening.  
  
Before I can process what just happened, the Joker's hand grabs mine and he's pulling me down the huge hall towards the exit. _What just happened ?!_  
  
' **D** id you _see_ his face ?' he asks with an excited cackle.  
  
I can't even say anything, my throat is too tight.

We basically run back to the car and I can already hear the sirens in the distance. But we leave just before they arrive. _As always_.

*

' **A** re you, uh...  _angry_ , Nora ?' the Joker asks, raising his eyebrows at me.  
  
' **I** don't want to talk.' I look out of the window, thoughtful.  
  
The only good thing that happened tonight is me saving Bruce. So, I try to focus on that. _Has he informed Gordon already ? I hope he has_. His voice is still resonating in my head.

_'People are starting to think you're with him…'_

_Of course, they do. And in a way, I am_. _I'm guilty too_.

*

When we're finally back in the Narrows and he's parked the car, I get out of the vehicle, thinking the worst is behind me. _But the night isn't over_. We make it back to the same apartment without hurting anybody else and I almost sigh in relief when I hear the door slam shut. I turn around, waiting to see if I can go to sleep, but he's gone.

I stare at the empty hallway with a frown before sitting on the couch. _Where has he gone ?_

The minutes creep by slowly and after what feels like an eternity, he's back. _Not alone_. The door swings open and, to my horror, the Joker is dragging another unconscious man by the wrists. He drops him on the floor and slams the door shut with an exaggerated sigh. I jump up and my breath gets caught in my throat. _Bruce Wayne's replacement._

Luckily, the Joker doesn't involve me in his ''fun'' and I walk to the kitchen, feeling light-headed. The unlucky man is being tied to a chair with thick ropes, head lolling over his chest and the Joker is talking quietly to himself, getting ready to perform his ''experiences'' on him. _I feel like I'm going to be sick_. My legs start shaking and I take a seat, my back facing the living room. I close my eyes and hold my head in my hands. _This is going too far._ I turn around and I see the Joker hunched over the man and I know I need to leave the room.

As soon as I shut the bathroom door, I walk to the sink and take a deep breath. _I don't want to break down now, but I can't hold it in anymore_. I grip the edges of the sink harder and let the tears fall, sobbing quietly. _Even if I make it alive, how can I ever forget the things I've seen ?_ The image of the disfigured man is printed on my mind now and I shake my head in a desperate attempt to forget _. I should have died along with Dan and everybody else that night. Or better… twenty years ago. My parents should have forgotten to put my seatbelt on like they did for my sister._  
  
' _ **W**_ _hy_ are you crying ?'  
  
My heart jumps in fear and I almost choke. I didn't hear the door, nor his footsteps but I can definitely feel his warm chest against my back now. I don't know what else to do but lift my eyes and meet his stare in the mirror. _He's wiped the makeup off._  I immediately drop my gaze but my tears just won't stop rolling down my cheeks.  
  
' **N** o reason,' I mumble, sniffling loudly and wiping some tears.  
  
His hot breath is really close to my ear and my chest feels so tight, I can only take a few short breaths.  
  
' **W** ell, that's just _not_ true. I don't do… _that._ ' He gestures at my wet face with his hand. 'But I _know_ you gotta have a reason.'  
  
I shake my head and I _really_ try to stop the tears because I hate crying in front of people, especially _him,_ who's probably enjoying it. I know my face is a mess and I just wish he could leave me alone. _So I ask him._  
  
' **C** an you please leave me alone ?' I ask, trying to sound less desperate than I really am.  
  
I hate to sound childish and pathetic but suddenly, I don't care so much anymore. _Why should I ?_ He hasn't said a word and I can still feel his eyes staring at me.  
  
' **I** just want to go home. I just need to see my aunt. That's all I want. Just let me go,' my voice breaks and my vision gets blurry again.  
  
Another wave of tears fall down and I want to push him away or shake him, anything to make him actually _say_ something, but my body can't move. After a few long seconds, he finally clears his throat and his voice is in my ear again.  
  
' **I** understand…' he starts but I know he doesn't mean it, 'But we're not done yet, Nora.'  
  
I sniffle again and I feel two large hands resting on my shoulders, before slowly turning me around. I don't want to be so close to him but I'm already leaning against the sink, I can't step back. He lifts my chin with his finger and forces me to look at him. He still has some white paint under his chin and the black around his eyes isn't totally gone, but again, a weird feeling forms in the pit of my stomach when I look at him. _As if I was looking at someone else_. My gaze travels from his strong jawline to his dead eyes before dropping to his scars.  
  
' **D** on't _cryy,_ ' he says in a singsong tone.  
  
I don't know if he's mocking me, trying to comfort me or if it's an order, but the tears have stopped already anyway. He's looking at me as if he's just found his favorite toy covered in mud and he tucks some of my hair behind my ears, studying my face with a weird intensity.  
  
' **T** here. _See._ ' He uses his own sleeve to wipe my runny nose and wet cheeks. 'You're not crying anymore.'  
  
A satisfied smirk stretches his scars and I swallow hard. My throat tightens again when his long fingers suddenly interwine with mine and before I can pull away he's already leading me out of the bathroom. _It's not a comforting gesture, far from that, more like a possessive grip._ I just follow him quietly, too embarrassed to even protest. We arrive to an empty living room and I assume he has moved the man to the bedroom. To my relief, his sweaty hand finally lets go of mine and I fiddle with my fingers nervously.

' **S** it,' he orders.

I sit down compliantly and he disappears into the bedroom without another word. I was expecting a sarcastic comment or a cruel joke about me crying but it never comes. As a matter of fact, I don't see him for the rest of the evening.

I decide to put the tv on, mainly as a background noise. _I don't want to hear anything coming from the bedroom_. However, my mind is so exhausted that I fall asleep on the couch, merely twenty minutes later.

*

I wake up, heart pounding and look around the dark living room. _Something feels wrong_. I gasp when I realize that the Joker, with the paint back on his face, is sitting right next to me and I quickly sit up. Judging by his messy hair, he's fallen asleep there as well, but I don't have time to think about it. His eyes are wide open and he's frozen in place, seemingly listening to something.

' **U** p, up, up,' he whispers precipitately, jumping to his feet.

I barely manage to wipe the drool off my chin before he lifts me off the couch. _Then, I hear them._   _Footsteps creeping up the stairs_. My heart starts beating fast but I don't even know why. _It's probably just the neighbours coming back home after a night out._ The Joker puts his coat on and shoves a hand in his pocket. He gets a grenade out and before I can even open my mouth, he's already thrown it by the front door. The smoke starts filling our hallway and he drags me to the bedroom. 

' **W** hat's going on ?!' I whisper, confused.

He slams the door shut and ignores my question, pushing me further into the room. I bump into something and when I turn around, my stomach churns and my face twists in disgust. The man tied to the chair is covered in blood, multiple strange wounds on his face and he has dried blood around his eyes and mouth. I spot a Joker card coming out of one of his pockets.  _He seems dead but I'm not entirely sure._  I turn to the Joker who's now pulling the carpet off the floor, before crouching. I'm surprised to see a small latch on the wooden floor. _A secret room ?_ He opens it hastily and lifts the small door with a grunt. I have no idea what's going on but when I see his serious expression, I don't argue and I go down the small wooden stairs into the darkness. I cover my nose with my hand when a strong musty smell enters my nostrils. Just as I'm squinting at the dark and narrow tunnel in front of me, I hear a loud banging from upstairs in the apartment.

_' **G** CPD ! Open the door !'_

My heart skips a beat and the Joker cackles quietly before shutting the small door, leaving us in the pitch-black tunnel. _They came_. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading ! I'll be updating next week. Stay safe Love <3


	11. Last night

                                                                       

 

I hear several violent coughing fits erupt upstairs, but before I can hear anything else, the Joker is already pushing me down the dark tunnel. I have to comply and run if I don't want to fall flat on my face but I hold my hands in front of me to keep the spiderwebs out of my face. Suddenly, he clutches my wrist and, for once, I'm grateful because it stops me from falling down another set of stairs. At the end of the tunnel, a dim light appears and I spot a small dusty window. The Joker pushes me out of the way and shakes the stiff handle a few times until it creaks open.

' **A** fter _youu,_ ' he says with an exaggerated gesture of the hand.  
  
I pop my head out of the window and realize we can definitely jump off without breaking any bones. Nervously, I squeeze through and hold myself off the ledge for a few seconds before letting go. A sudden pain shoots through my feet when they land on the hard concrete, but it fades as quick as it came. The Joker lands next to me a few seconds later and we quickly walk through the dark and narrow alleyway behind the apartment building. Surprisingly, there isn't anyone around the building and, after jumping over the fence, we easily cross the street without being stopped. My heart is pumping almost painfully and I quietly run behind the Joker. He suddenly freezes when he spots a police officer standing on the sidewalk, a few feet away. With one quick movement, the Joker flattens himself against the wall and makes eye contact with me.  
  
' **G** o talkto him.'  
  
I just glance at the officer with a look of confusion. _Really ?_ The Joker raises his eyebrows expectantly so I take a few hesitant steps towards the man. _What does he want me to do ?_ From this angle, the officer can't see him, but I can't help feeling really nervous. As soon as I approach him, his eyes immediately look me up and down. He takes in my appearance and closes the distance between us with a small smile.  
  
' **A** re you alright, miss ?'  
  
S _eriously ? Aren't they supposed to recognize me at least, knowing who I'm with ?_ I clasp my hands together and stop awkwardly in front of the officer.  
  
' **E** rr… yeah,' I hesitate, turning slightly to the right.  
  
_What do I do ? Do I tell him everything ? No, I can't…_  
  
' **N** eed help ?'

I want to mentally slap him for not recognizing me, but, to his defence, his apparent young age, friendly smile and neat uniform give me the impression he's still a rookie. I've instinctively turned towards the Joker, hoping he might see him but the man ends up turning around and his back is now facing the wrong way. _Shit_. The Joker pushes himself off the wall and starts creeping up behind him. I stare at the young officer with wide eyes, and with my hand, now hidden from the Joker's view, I make a slow spinning motion, trying to make him turn around. Unfortunately, he only raises one eyebrow, seemingly not picking up the hint. A few seconds later, the Joker has reached for the gun in its holster and is now aiming it at the young man's head. Before he can react, the butt of the gun connects with his head with a loud crunch and he collapses on the floor almost instantly.  
  
' **T** hank you, _officer,_ ' the Joker sneers mockingly, taking the magazine out before sliding it back in with a smack.  
  
He steps over the man on the ground and continues down the street without a word. I follow him quietly, goosebumps breaking out on my skin. We can hear sirens a few streets away from us but the Joker knows all the hidden narrow alleyways and abandoned buildings we can cross. _Plus, the police isn't exactly liked around here. Even if anyone saw us, I doubt they would tell them_. We turn left into a really dark and creepy alleyway and as soon as we're deep enough, the Joker suddenly turns on me. His forearm comes up to my throat and he slams me against the wall. My head hits the hard surface and my ears buzz for a few seconds before I make eye contact with him. He's breathing calmly but his jaw is tight and his eyes flicker from my eyes to my lips without blinking.  
  
' **N** ora,' he snarls his head shaking rapidly, 'You _are_ a sneaky one.'  
  
I try to loosen his grip but as soon as I move, he pushes his forearm harder against my throat and I freeze. _Why is he suddenly mad ?_ With his free hand, I see him holding a switchblade and he waves it in my face.  
  
' **W** -what ?' I manage to ask, breathless.  
  
' **O** h, you _know_ what. Nobody would call them around here, especially not on _me,_ ' he grunts and pushes the weapon against my collarbone.  
  
The blade is so sharp that the blood appears as soon as it touches my skin.  
  
' **I** 'm s-sorry,' I breathe out with difficulty.  
  
I do my best not to move so the blade doesn't accidentally cut me more, but my heart feels like it's about to burst out.  
To my relief, his arm drops and he takes a step back, not breaking eye contact. I take a deep breath and glance down to see a few drops of blood running down my chest. He's about to say something when his head suddenly jerks to the left and then back to me. He pulls my arm forward so hard that, for a minute, I'm certain that my shoulder has been dislocated in the process. With a gasp of surprise, I lose my balance and fall over behind the dumpster on the other side of the alley. I'm still on my grazed knees when I suddenly hear a gunshot and the Joker ducks down behind the same dumpster. _Is it the police ? Aren't they supposed to give him a chance to surrender first ?!_ He chuckles and holds the gun he stole with white knuckles. I get rid of the gravel digging into my palms and knees and I look at him with a scared look. He says something under his breath and aims the gun in front of him as if he was rehearsing his next move.  
  
' **C** OME OUT, CLOWN!'  
  
_It doesn't sound like the police_. As soon as the loud voice echoes through the alley, the Joker jumps back up and fires three shots with intense focus. There's a single shot coming from the other end of the alleyway but the Joker doesn't even flinch. He drops his arm holding the gun and sighs impatiently.  
  
' _ **B**_ _oooring_.' He rolls his eyes and turns to me.  
  
I'm about to get back up when another gunshot suddenly echoes and the Joker fires back immediately. _Did the bullet just hit him ?!_ My heart jumps and I stand up without thinking.  
  
' **A** re you o...k ?' My voice suddenly dies in my throat.  
  
_Why did I just ask that ?_ I glance at the three bodies lying on the floor a few feet away. The Joker turns to me, blinking a few times and his forehead creases. A look of surprise flickers like a light over his eyes and I realize that it's probably a question that nobody ever asks him.  
  
' **U** h… _yeaah_.' The flash of surprise disappears and he starts walking away.  
  
_The bullet obviously didn't touch him…_ I shiver and follow him quietly, slightly embarrassed by my reaction.  
As I suspected, the men weren't officers, simply unskilled thugs trying to take down the infamous criminal by themselves. I stay a few feet behind when the Joker stops by one of the men and starts poking him with his shoe.

' **A** re you _dead_ now ? Or do you need more bullets ?' he starts giggling and pokes him harder, like a cat playing with a dead mouse, ' _Hmmm_  ?'

I look away as he shoves him one last time, before spitting on him. _He did push me out of the way, so I wouldn't be hurt…_ I shake my head. _It doesn't matter._

' **N** ora ?' he sighs impatiently.

His voice takes me out of my daydream and I catch up with him, avoiding a few shards of glass on the floor. _I wonder why he hasn't stolen a car yet and left the area…_ He fiddles with the chain of his pocket watch while taking long strides and I realize that he hasn't even turned around once to check that I'm still there.  
  
A few minutes later, as we're about to turn around the corner, a police car appears in the distance, sirens off. Shoving the watch back into his pocket, the Joker pushes me inside the closest building. A weird smell is lingering in the air and I follow him up a long flight of stairs. After reaching the second floor, we walk through a few empty rooms leading to a vast hall. A long conveyor belt spreads across the room and hundreds of cardboard boxes are piled against the wall. _It must have been a factory_. Our footsteps are echoing in the empty room and I can hear the faint sound of water dripping on the floor.There are a dozen large windows that provides enough light to see where we're walking. After a few more steps, the Joker stops in the corner and sits down. I do the same and sigh quietly. _What now ?_ The Joker is fiddling with his phone, opening the back and getting the battery out.  
  
' **W** hen's your birthday, Nora ?'

I hesitate a few seconds, surprised by his random question. _Can something bad happen if I say it ?_ I tell him anyway and he nods his head with a quiet 'ahhh'.  
  
' **S** o, Bruce _Wayne_ , hmm ?' he suddenly says and I can hear the obvious disgust in his voice when he pronounces the name.  
  
_I naively thought I wouldn't have to talk about that again._ I drop my gaze. _Maybe leaving him in the car with me was a test... I'm sure he could tell I was lying_. A feeling of dread suddenly invades me when I realize that he knows I've ''betrayed'' him. _He won't let that slide surely... What's going to happen now ?_  
  
' **I** didn't tell him anything,' I assure him and, for once, the lie comes out easily, 'I let him go and he must have followed us and found out the location. I'm sorry.'  
  
_A half truth is better than a lie_. He drops his phone on the cold floor and stands up. My heart immediately clenches in my chest.  
  
' **W** hat did he, uh… promise you, hmm ? _Money_  ?' He steps closer to me.  
  
I'm still sitting on the floor against the wall, so I just stare at his pants. My face scrunches up in confusion.  
  
' **N** o, of course not.'  
  
' **T** hen _why_ did you save him ?!' He crouches right in front of me and I have to finally meet his eyes.  
  
' **B** ecause I could,' I reply, not looking down this time.  
  
_Obviously I freed him because of everything he had done for me, letting me stay at his place and keeping me safe but what I said is also true. It's the first time I was given the opportunity to help someone._  
The Joker is still staring at me, his tongue licking one corner of his mouth, and he seems to be thinking hard, considering something. I drop my gaze and the only things still in my view are his gloved hands clasped together in front of him, his dusty pants and his worn out shoes.  
  
' **W** hat should I do to, uh… _punish_ you ?' His nasal voice echoes around the large room.  
  
I shrug my shoulders but I don't say anything. I don't even blink, but in reality, his question made my heart beat faster. _What does he mean…  'punish' me ?_ He suddenly gets back up and starts walking away.  
  
' **D** on't go _anywhere_ , Nora !' His loud voice fades down the next hallway.  
  
I bring my knees up to my chest and wait with apprehension. I try to chase the thoughts out of my head and focus on the noise outside. The streets are almost empty, I can only hear the sound of sirens in the distance and the odd car driving down the main road. _Are the police still looking for us ?_ I know some of the officers must be busy searching the apartment and, I hope, saving the poor man in the bedroom… or investigating the murder scene if it's too late. _I didn't really expect Bruce to keep his promise and to act so quickly_.  
  
My heart tightens when I hear the Joker coming back, his voice bouncing off the walls. He starts humming and I try to ignore the eerie atmosphere settling around me. My eyes have adapted to the dark and I see his figure striding across the hall towards me. He's holding a small box in his hand. _A first aid kit, judging by the cross on top of the box_. He balances it on the windowsill before taking his coat off. After he's rolled one of his sleeves up, I realize that he's simply changing his bandage and I relax a little bit.  
  
After a few minutes, he's rolled his sleeve back down and his eyes are on me again. _I don't like it._ He's looking at me like he knows something I don't. Suddenly, I feel too small with him towering high over me and I slowly get up. Feeling the blood rushing back to my legs, I purse my lips in discomfort. Unfortunately, that's what he was waiting for and he immediately grips my arm. I manage to break free and take a few steps back. He chuckles and steps closer to me as I back away.  
  
' _ **N**_ _ow_ you decide to be scared again ?' he mocks me, pointing at me with the switchblade.  
  
_When did he get that out ?_  
  
' **C** ome here,' he orders me, almost managing to grasp the back of my neck.  
  
I know it's pointless but I can't control my feet anymore, I keep stepping back. The Joker is watching me with an amused glint in his eyes. He knows I'm not going anywhere, because there's no way to escape him. _I know that too_. _If anything, I'm only entertaining him_. Cocking his head to the side, he takes another step forward and wait for my next move. I stay still this time and the corners of his mouth twitch in satisfaction. He gets hold of my wrist and pulls me towards him but before my body collides with his, he pushes me against the wall and traps me there. I still haven't said a word but my heartbeats accelerate and I feel like his close presence is stealing all the oxygen around me. He puts one hand on the wall right next to my head and lets out a deep sigh out, his eyes lazily falling on me. I shift uncomfortably against the wall and look down. His hand almost instantly shoots up and wraps loosely around my throat, his thumb resting on my cheek.  
  
' **L** ook at me.' He waits for me to make eye contact again before continuing. 'I am _proud_ of you. You took a risk and not cared about the consequences. I _like_ that.'  
  
His eyelids droop a little and his gaze seems to drift away for a second, before coming back on me with a quick jerk of his head. I nod slowly because that's the only thing I can do.  
  
' **I** 'm just gonna, uh… finish what I started,' he announces as if I was supposed to understand what he means.  
  
I swallow back the obvious question that I want to ask when I feel the tip of the sharp blade make contact with my skin. My eyes widen a little bit but I keep perfectly still. He continues, staring at the blade now resting on my chest.  
  
' **I** 'm sorry, it's going to _sting_ a little…'  
  
My heart jumps and a horrible feeling of déjà vu grows in my stomach. _He said the same thing before he stabbed me that night_. My whole body tenses as he starts applying more pressure and I feel my skin finally tearing under the blade. I squirm when the blade starts moving and the sharp pain travels right under my collarbone. As I try to get away, he holds my shoulder tightly with his other hand, stopping me from moving. _My skin feels like it's on fire_. His gaze flickers from the blade to my face, a steely glint in his eyes. He's watching, _enjoying_ every emotion written on my face and I do my best to hide the pain. But the cut is starting to seriously sting and I feel the warm blood running down my chest.  
  
' **S** top... please,' I beg, through gritted teeth.  
  
' **S** h, sh, shh…' His hard stare is trained on the blade still cutting my skin.  
  
I tighten my jaw until it hurts and I feel my eyes starting to water. Not that I want to cry but it stings so much that my eyes are doing it involuntarily. His eyes are back on me now.  
  
' _ **S**_ _ee_. You can take it,' he drawls, leaning slightly closer to my face, 'If you're strong…' He pushes the blade deeper and I wince, glaring at him. '...then you can take _any_ pain. Like _me_ ,' he adds in a high-pitched voice.  
  
I wish I could wipe it before it rolls down my cheek but the tear escapes my eye anyway. His dark eyes follow the salty drop until it disappears under my chin and a low grunt rumbles in his chest.

To my relief, he finally puts the blade away from me and I let a shaky breath out. _It could have been worse._ He takes a step closer to me and unexpectedly kisses the top of my head, the blade hovering dangerously inches from my face. I'm so taken aback that I forget the pain for a few seconds, my heart beating faster. But quickly, the pain rushes back and I feel like my whole chest is on fire. The Joker steps away and looks me down with a quick nod.  
  
' **B** eautiful.'  
  
I push myself away from the wall and look down. _No, no, no. It's worst than I thought. He's carved the letter J in my skin. And he's gone over the cut a few times, to make sure it won't heal easily_. The pain is only fueling my sudden anger and I clench my jaw violently.  
  
' **W** hy would you do that ?!' I spit out.  
  
Before I can react, he opens the bottle of antiseptic and splashes it over the wound with a laugh.  
  
' **S** hit !'  
  
The burning makes me want to desperately scratch my skin and the tears fill my eyes again.  
  
' **W** ell, it would be a shame if it got, uh… _in-fec-ted_ ,' the Joker defends himself, but he can't even hide the mocking tone in his voice.  
  
' **Y** ou'd love that,' I mumble to myself.  
  
I step away and stand by the window, arms wrapped around myself. I feel him approaching me but I don't move.  
  
' **N** o, I would _not_ ,' he retorts before slapping a bandage over the cut and securing it with some medical tape, 'It's aaa… _souvenir,_ ' he adds with a grin.  
  
I step aside as soon as it's done, keeping my eyes on the street. That's when I spot the police car parked up a few blocks down. _And that's when I know there's something seriously wrong happening inside my head._  
  
' **P** olice...' I whisper before I can even stop myself.  
  
His head turns slightly to where I'm looking and he glances down at me with a strange look.  
  
' **T** hey just _never_ give up, do they…'  
  
The door downstairs slams shut and we hear whispers followed by some footsteps. _A lot of them_. The Joker pushes the first aid kit in the corner of the room with his foot and pulls me down the next hallway.  
  
' **F** irst floor is clear,' a voice resonates.  
  
_They're coming to us._ We start running and I try to keep up as best I can. We head for the fire exit and he holds the door open, pushing me out. Good thinking because a few seconds later, we hear a door open on the lower floor. We start running up the stairs and I can't help but wondering how he manages to be so quiet. I have no problem being silent with my bare feet and I know they can't hear us because another door shuts and the voices fade. _Those police officers are useless_. If they had been completely quiet, like they're supposed to, then maybe they could have taken us by surprise. Though, I'm really starting to be suspicious. _Some of them might actually be with the Joker..._  
  
' **H** urry up, hurry up,' he urges me on, dragging me up the stairs.  
  
He goes up the stairs effortlessly but my short strides are no match for his long ones. I'm definitely not fit and I feel like my lungs are going to explode. I try to shake his hand off my wrist so I can slow down but his hold is like an iron vice. I suspect that if I was to fall on my knees, he wouldn't stop and would just drag me by the arm. The muscles in my legs are burning and I'm breathing loudly, trying to keep up. _Why are we going upstairs anyway ? Won't we just get trapped up there ?_

We finally make it to the top of the stairs and he pushes the door wide open. The cold wind immediately hits my face and I take a deep breath. _We're on the roof_. I shiver with cold and rub my arms a few times, while the Joker is leaning over the edge, looking down at the street. _This isn't the best hiding place_. My gaze is scanning the surrounding buildings and I spot the docks only a few blocks away. Despite the decrepit buildings, the view is actually beautiful from here and for a few seconds, everything just seems… _peaceful_. I glance at the Joker who's now walking along the edge, fearlessly balancing on one foot, his hair and coat blowing madly in the wind. _He's crazy_. He catches me staring and his tongue darts out to lick his lips and a grin stretches his scarred lips.

' **C** ome here.'

I sigh and join him on the other side of the roof. After he's offered me a gloved hand, I take it hesitantly and he pulls me closer to him.

' **I** 'm sorry, I... _hurt_ you,' he apologizes, the leather tightening around my hand, 'You're something else, Nora.'

I snort and look away. _Does he really think I'm that gullible ?_ When he sees my expression, he rolls his eyes and smacks his lips impatiently.

' _ **S**_ _eee_.' He lets his arm drop defeatedly. 'You're ruining the… _moment_.'

' **T** here's no moment,' I retort coldly.

His hand slides to my wrist and he clenches it in a tight grip, too tight.

' **O** h. But...there _is_.' He glances down again and takes a step back.

Our eyes meet again and, suddenly, I know _exactly_ what he's thinking. My breath getting caught in my throat, I immediately grip his fingers and try to rip them off my wrist but they don't move.  
  
' **N** o, no, NO !' I plead desperately.  
  
He jumps. I automatically lose my balance and fall with him. A shrill scream comes out of my mouth, I didn't even think a sound like that could come out of me. _I'm going to die._ There's a blur of lights and my heart feels like it's in my throat. All the air seems to have been pushed out of my lungs, I can't even breathe anymore and I just brace for the impact. In a few seconds, the wind stops and my body lands, almost bouncing, before being completely covered by something soft. I wait for the pain but I don't feel anything. I need a few seconds to shake off the confusion and understand what happened. I try to breathe but something get stuck in my nose and mouth and I desperately wave my arms to try to get out of wherever I am. A strong smell of mould is making my eyes water and I try to get up a few times, failing miserably.

Two strong hands suddenly grab me under the armpits and lift me up. I see the Joker's face appear and he puts me down on the floor. I stumble on my shaky legs and glance at what saved my life. It's a _massive_ dumpster filled to the brim with… _teddy bears_?! They're all damaged, some missing a leg or an arm and some just ripped apart, the soft filling spilling out of them. I spit out some brown fluff and lean forward, my hands on my knees. My whole body is shaking and I don't know how my legs are still supporting my weight. I glare at the Joker who's just getting some of the filling out of his hair while chuckling like a child. I start walking away weakly, my heart pounding in my chest. _A few inches to the left and my skull would have hit the metal dumpster. I can't believe this_ …  
  
' **N** oraaa, come on. That was _fun_ !' He readjusts the collar of his shirt.  
  
' **F** un ?! That wasn't fun !' I snap, turning around.  
  
His smile faints and he looks around him seemingly confused by what I just said.  
  
' **W** ell… what _is_ fun then ?'  
  
' **N** ot risking my life stupidly !' My hands are still shaking and I try to steady my breathing.  
  
' **S** ooo… _safe_ is fun ?' he asks, stepping closer to me.  
  
He reaches up and picks a small plastic eye out of my hair. He shows it to me with a cackle before throwing it over his shoulder.  
  
' **Y** eah. Safe is fun,' I repeat, my heart finally starting to slow down.  
  
' _ **O**_ _k_.' He grabs my hand and pulls me into a dark alleyway. 'Let's go somewhere _safe_ then. _Oh_. Do you like… _boats_?'  
  
I look at him in disbelief, my legs still shaking. _How can he act like we didn't almost die, a few seconds ago ?_ I'm about to reply when I hear a quiet _swoosh_ above us and when I glance up, I catch a glimpse of a shadow disappearing on the roof. The Joker has stopped too, his eyes roaming the dark alley. There's a sudden gust of wind and I'm not sure if my mind is playing tricks on me but I could swear I see a figure in the distance. The Joker starts chuckling and steps in front of me.  
  
' **S** tay here.' His tongue runs along his teeth and he turns away with a small hiss.  
  
He throws something over his shoulder and disappears into the alleyway. A teddy bear with a missing eye lands by my feet and I kick it away. I watch the Joker's retreating back before scanning the darkness around us, but I can't see the figure anymore.  
  
' **C** ome out… _Bat-maan_ …' he calls in a singing voice.  
  
_Batman ?_ Suddenly I hear a grunt of pain and the Joker falls over, his gun flying a few feet away. My heart jumps and I almost take a step forward. I shut my eyes. _Don't move, I repeat to myself, do not move_. The Joker's cackle resonates in the quiet alleyway and suddenly there's a bright light flashing us. I'm momentarily blinded but when I move my hand away and squint, I see a black car with bright headlights lighting the whole alleyway. _Batman_. My legs start shaking when I see police cars parked next to it and dozens of officers pointing their guns at the Joker. With the light, I can now see a black rope tangled around his legs, stopping him from getting back up. I hear footsteps behind me and a hand of my shoulder makes me flinch.  
  
' **W** e got him,' Gordon sighs with relief.  
  
I close my eyes and then look back at the Joker on the floor who's still cackling like a maniac. _Just like that, it's over._

_____________________

  
I feel like I've been standing here for hours, but it's only been a few minutes. I haven't moved a muscle and have kept my eyes on the Joker until he disappeared in a police car. _He hadn't planned that._ When he was being taken away to the car, he didn't make eye contact with me, didn't shout anything at me, he just kept his eyes in front of him. He went from hysterical to weirdly serious. _Almost disappointed..._

A lot of officers have approached me, asking me hundreds of questions but I haven't said a word. I can only stand there like a deer in the headlights. I'm looking at their lips moving but I can barely understand what they're saying. Thankfully, Gordon chases them away and he leans slightly towards me to get my attention.  
  
' **N** ora.' His voice is soft and I notice he avoids touching me this time. 'The ambulance has arrived, would you mind stepping over here with me ? It won't be long.'  
  
' **I** 'm not… I'm not hurt,' I finally manage to speak quietly.  
  
His eyes linger on the bandage under my collarbone and on the cut on my cheek and he insists. I comply this time and follow him to the ambulance. They check my pulse, my blood pressure, examine the cuts and then advise me to go back to the hospital with them. Which, of course, I refuse.  
  
' **I** 'm fine,' I mumble, standing back up. 'I just want to go home.'  
  
After trying to convince me, unsuccessfully, Gordon has no choice but sending the ambulance back. He hands me a set of keys. _New keys, again. I don't remember how many times my lock has been changed._  
  
' **I** have just notified mister Wayne of the arrest,' he continues, putting his phone back in his pocket, 'He didn't pick up the phone, but him and Alfred assured me that you were welcome at the penthouse anytime of the day or night... and I strongly advise you to go there right away.' He pushes his glasses up.  
  
I don't say anything, so he continues.  
  
' **S** hould you not take them up on the offer, a car will be keeping an eye on your place. Batman has offered to take you there himself.' He rests a hand on his hip and sighs deeply. 'At this point, I think you'll be safer in the car with him.'  
  
' **O** k,' I finally say.

' **I** 'll be in touch tomorrow.'

He nods and gestures towards the other end of the alleyway. I vaguely see a dark figure in the black car. _I thought he would have left already._  
  
' **T** hank you.'  
  
I force the words out of my mouth because I know Gordon has done a lot and he deserves at least a ''thank you''. I know he's not supposed to let me go either, he should take me to the station first. I cross the lit-up alleyway but when I catch a glimpse of something on the floor, I stop. I grab the teddy bear in my hands and continue towards Batman's car. When I arrive right next to it, I don't see any handle and I just stand awkwardly, looking around. Then I see _him_.

The car holding the Joker is right next to Batman's and he's looking straight at me. There was a smile on his face but it's gone now. The door slides open and I sit down quietly, still glancing at him. Batman pushes a button and the door slides shut without a sound. The Joker suddenly seems very agitated and I can't hear him but I know he's shouting something. The officer in the car turns his head to me and then to him, probably telling him to be quiet. My heart clenches as I see the Joker slamming his back aggressively against the seat a few times, his hands cuffed behind his back, his eyes glued to me. _If eyes could kill, I guess we'd all be dead_. _Then I realize it's because of me. Me leaving with Batman_. I drop my gaze, keeping my eyes on the floor, an uncomfortable, almost guilty feeling growing in the pit of my stomach. Thankfully, Batman starts the car and the engine purs smoothly, taking us away from the scene.

I close my eyes and lean against the seat, wishing the painful knot in my stomach would just disappear. I give a quick sideways glance to the man next to me. _I haven't seen him move his head once_. I can almost feel the powerful aura emanating from him, his gloved hands firmly holding the steering wheel. _Or maybe it's just the suit._  
  
' **W** here can I drop you off ?' he asks in a deep and emotionless tone.  
  
' **M** y apartment,' I reply quietly.  
  
There's a short pause but his eyes stay fixated on the road.  
  
' **Y** ou should stay with friends,' he advises me in a raspy voice.  
  
' **I** have no friends,' I reply, turning my gaze away.  
  
I feel a bit guilty, knowing Bruce and Alfred are probably expecting me but I can't do this. _It's the middle of the night anyway_. Thankfully, Batman doesn't insist and he drives me home without saying anything else. 

___________________

After thirty minutes, he pulls up outside my apartment and I wait for him to open the door.  
  
' **A** re you going to be ok ?' he asks, his eyes turning to me for the first time.  
  
' **Y** eah.' I nod slowly. 'Thank you for… the ride.'  
  
I get out of the car and go up the stairs quietly. I'm walking down the hallway almost absently and soon I'm already in front of my apartment. As soon as I switch the light on, I can see that it's been searched. _Thoroughly_. A few things are still scattered on the floor, some drawers are still open and the whole place smells… different.  
I sigh and drop on the couch, the teddy bear still clutched tightly in my hand. I hear the faint sound of traffic outside and my apartment, the only familiar place I had here, now feels almost foreign.  
So I wait. Wait for the reality to sink in, for the events to really hit me. _I'm finally free, I made it. But I can't shake the feeling of dread creeping inside of me_. The relief that I was hoping, that I was _dreaming_ of not long ago… well, it never comes. All I can think of is the look on the Joker's face when I left. _It was terrifying_.

So it's without surprise that I end up spending the night on the couch, eyes wide open, unable to rest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for the nice comments, it's always appreciated!  
> 3 or 4 chapters to go and that'll be it for the first part of this series. As usual, I'll update next week and until then...stay safe! <3


	12. Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late update, I was so ill last week, I just couldn't write…

                                                                       

 

The monotonous sound of the washing machine seems to have put me in a trance and god knows how long I've been sitting on the floor, staring at the old thing. _Well… fifty-seven minutes according to the wash cycle_. I stare at the yellow dress and that stupid teddy bear spinning rapidly through the glass door. I know I should have thrown them away already. _I know._ The washing machine starts shaking loudly and I get up with a sigh. My whole body is sore and my eyes burn so bad that I have to wipe a few tears forming in the corners of my eyes. _It's probably time to have a shower_.

After changing my two bandages, I slip an old t-shirt on and head to the bedroom. I've managed to empty my mind and I finally feel like my body is ready to rest. I don't bother checking the time, the weak sunlight is already streaming through a gap between the curtains and the wall. The traffic outside is slowly increasing and I drift off to sleep, lulled by the familiar noise and the distant humming sound of the washing machine.  
  
BANG.  
  
My eyes open wide and I sit up quickly, my vision still slightly blurry. _Was that the front door ?_ There's another bang, hard enough to make the door shake, followed by a loud voice.  
  
' **P** olice ! Are you ok in there ?!'  
  
My heart rate slows down and I sigh loudly. _What's going on ?_  
  
' **I** need you to open the door, miss Wilde !'  
  
I kick the sheets off me and roll off the mattress. _I don't even feel like I've slept at all._  
  
' **O** ne minute,' I mumble to myself, still sleepy.  
  
I make sure to look through the peephole before I unlock the door. A police officer is standing in the doorway and he glances behind me as soon as I open the door.  
  
' **A** re you ok ? Been banging on that door for five minutes !'  
  
I nod silently, blinking a few times. _I must have been in a deep sleep_. Hooking his thumb through the belt loop of his pants, he continues talking.  
  
' **T** he Commissioner wants to know if you can make it this morning… For your statement ?' He adds, raising his eyebrows expectantly.  
  
I do my best to keep my eyes open and I frown, slightly squinting.  
  
' **W** hat time ?' I ask in a raspy voice.  
  
' **N** ine.'  
  
I turn my head to glance at the wall clock. _8.30_. _Great, thanks for the heads up._  
  
' **O** k,' I agree with a slow nod.  
  
' **H** urry up. I'll wait for you outside.' He walks away without another word.  
  
I shut the door and go take a peek out of the window. Sure enough, a police car is parked outside the building across the road. I open the curtains and rub my forehead a few times. _Going to the police station and give a statement is the last thing I want to do. But… the sooner the better._  
  
As I'm quickly downing a cup of coffee, the stress starts invading me and all kind of scenarios pop into my head. _What if I'm in trouble ? What if they keep me there ?_ I put on some new socks rapidly and shake my head, talking silently to myself. _No… surely not_. _Gordon would have arrested me there and then._ I tie my hair up and take a deep breath, my hand resting on the door handle for a few seconds. Hands shaking, I close my eyes and try to relax. _I don't want to go out_. I finally open the door and exit my apartment with rapid strides before I change my mind.

Leaning against the vehicle, the officer is waiting for me outside, a cup of coffee in his hand. As I'm crossing the road, he sighs impatiently and throws the empty cup on the pavement. _Good example to set_. I get in the car without a word and we drive to the GCPD.

__________________

' **T** hank you for coming, Nora.' Gordon gestures me to the empty chair. 'This interview wasn't requested the usual way, but I need you to know that you are under no legal obligation to provide a statement. Are you comfortable with being recorded ?'

I sit down and nod quietly. _I'm not comfortable with anything here but it has to be done_. I swallow hard and cross my legs, trapping my hands between my lap. Gordon gets a voice recorder out of his pocket and sets it on the table. My heart starts beating faster and I feel so uncomfortable I'm not sure I can do this anymore. He clears his throat and clasps his hands together, his elbows resting on the table.

' **C** an you please confirm your name ?' he asks after pushing the button on the side of the recorder.

' **U** m, Nor…' My voice is so raspy I have to clear my throat and start again. 'Nora Wilde.'

' **T** hank you, miss Wilde.' He gets a notepad out and starts scribbling something. 'I need you to tell me what happened between the 13th and the 18th of october as accurately as possible.

 _When ?_ My mind starts racing and my mouth is so dry, I feel like my lips are glued together. _What is he asking ?_ _I don't even know what date it is today_. He must see the confusion on my face because he gives me a small reassuring smile.

' **F** rom the moment you disappeared from Mr Wayne's penthouse to the Joker's arrest last night. Do your best, that's all I'm asking you,' he adds, looking at me over his glasses, 'We can stop at any time.'

I whisper a shaky ''ok'' and start. I knew it wouldn't be easy, but I didn't expect for it to be so hard. It feels like it happened months ago and I forget things, then remember and try to fill in the blanks without being too confusing. I don't even know what's relevant or not and my story is such a mess, I'm surprised Gordon hasn't stopped me yet. My voice gets caught in my throat a few times and I have to stop and take a sip of water. _I tell him everything, the threats towards my aunt, the gas, the letter the Joker carved on my skin. It sounds worse when I explain it out loud. Everything sounds way worse and I feel ashamed to have been part of it._

Over an hour has gone past when I'm finally done. _I've said it all_. Gordon finishes scribbling something hastily before turning the voice recorder off. I feel physically sick and I take a few deep breaths. He did suggest I take a break but I didn't want to stop. _I wanted to be done with it_. I feel like I can breathe a bit better now but I'm worried about his reaction. He takes his glasses off and rubs his eyes a few times, seemingly exhausted. Judging by his pale skin and the puffy bags under his eyes, he's been up all night.

' **T** hank you, Nora.' He puts his glasses back on, a weak smile appearing momentarily on his face.

' **A** m I in trouble ?' I ask quietly.

There's one second where he just purses his lips and my stomach twists. In a slow motion, he grabs an envelope in front of him and opens it. He spreads a few pictures on the table and I glance at them, even though I already know. It's me with the Joker, in various places and, fair enough, I don't actually look like I'm there against my will.

' **A** fter you disappeared, it was a... belief among some of my guys that you actually planned to meet the Joker and left with him. This whole time, we had to treat you as a victim or potential suspect,' he explains gravely, 'But we know you're innocent. _I know._ ' He nods, emphasizing the words. 'You just have to sign a few papers and it'll be done.'

I nod, relieved to hear the news coming out of his mouth.

' **O** ne more thing I need you to do for me,' he starts again and he points at my collarbone.

My jaw tightens and I blink a few times.

' **Y** ou need to see it,' I guess, nodding slowly.

' **I** 'm afraid.'

I rip the bandage off and let him take a picture before sticking it back on as best I can.

' **O** ff the record, have you met anyone called William Stone ?' Gordon asks as he gathers all the pictures on the table.

' **N** o,' I reply without thinking.

 _Wait… Bill ?_ I chew my bottom lip nervously and glance at Gordon hesitantly.

' **W** ho is he ?' I can't help asking.

He sighs and puts the photos back in the envelope.

' **A** hitman we've been trying to catch for months,' he replies simply before getting back up.

 _I wish I didn't ask_. I decide to keep it for myself- not like I've got _anything_ useful to say anyway- and I get up. I rub my thighs a few times, trying to get rid of the numb feeling.

' **T** here's a phone at the end of the hallway on your way out.' He puts the recorder in his pocket and pushes the chair. 'I've been in touch with your aunt a few times. You should give her a call if you haven't already.'

My heart jumps in my chest and I suddenly feel very hot. I know she had to be aware of the situation by now but hearing it out loud is… a _relief_. _I don't think I could have kept it from her much longer anyway._

' **O** ne more thing before you go, Nora.' He stops in front of the door and hands me a leaflet. 'You might want to talk to someone.'

I read the words ''victim'', ''trauma'', ''assistance'' and I just shove it my pocket, feeling sick.

' **I'** m not…' I start before pausing.

_I'm not what ? A victim ? Of course I am._

' **O** k. Thank you.' I nod slowly.

_Thank you but I can handle it myself._

' **I** 'll be in touch.' He shakes my hand with a small smile.

He returns to his office and I walk towards the exit, trying to repeat in my head what I'm going to say to Rose. Suddenly, I hear a familiar voice and my heart jumps in my throat. Through an open door, I see a big screen and three officers gathered in front of it. _It's the Joker. His interrogation, apparently_. Frozen in my tracks, I can't walk away so I step closer, listening attentively as they're turning the volume up.

The camera goes in and out of focus before settling down. The Joker is sitting in a dark room, perfectly straight and he's looking up at someone behind the camera. Even if I can't see them, I can hear the handcuffs click every time he moves his arms and I'm almost sure his ankles are shackled too. It must have been filmed right after his arrest, his make up is running, but not completely gone, giving him a creepy look. Then I hear Gordon's tired voice close to the camera.  
  
' **S** tate your name for the record, last name first.'  
  
The Joker tilts his head slightly to the right, suppressing a smile.  
  
' **J** okerr,' he drawls, staring at the camera with expressionless eyes, ' _The_.'  
  
Shifting in his seat, he chuckles, his cold eyes glued to Gordon, almost daring him to say something. An officer fast forwards the video and I start moving away from the door, when I suddenly hear Gordon talk again.  
  
' **W** hy did you kidnap miss Wilde ?'  
  
I hold my breath and lean slightly forward to get a better view of the screen. The Joker's lips twitch and he leans back in his seat, bringing his cuffed hands on the table with a sigh.  
  
' **W** hy _not_  ?' he retorts with a snarl.  
  
' **F** or someone who, I quote, has no plans, you surely seem to have taken an interest in her.'  
  
The Joker doesn't even blink.  
  
' **W** ell uh, _Commissioner_ , you're the one bringing her up.' He looks up, raising his eyebrows. 'So why don't _you_ tell me what your _brilliant_ mind thinks ?'  
  
' **Y** ou like her ?'  
  
The Joker giggles and points at the camera, the handcuffs clicking loudly.  
  
' **A** re you trying to get me to _confess_ my feelings on camera ?' He cackles again, biting his bottom lip with an exaggeratingly shocked expression. 'I didn't know we were sharing our deepest secrets already, _Jim_. How's Barbara ?'  
  
' **W** hen did you plan to get rid of her ?' Gordon continues quickly, ignoring his last comment.  
  
The Joker chuckles, rolling his eyes up.  
  
' **G** et _rid_ of her, that sounds a bit _dramatic_. She's still alive, isn't she ?' He cocks his head to the side.  
  
' **D** ent is still alive too. It doesn't mean you haven't tried to kill him.'  
  
The Joker lets a high-pitched cackle out and shakes his head frantically.

' **N** o _oo_. I, uh… _improved_ him.' He licks his lips rapidly and cracks his neck. 'He's _much_ better now, if you ask me.'

One of the officers turns around abruptly, spotting my reflection in the screen. I immediately take a step back and they slam the door without a word. I stand there for a few seconds, wishing I could see through the door. With a sigh, I continue down the hallway, legs shaking. _Let's forget about that_. I feel a few eyes staring at me but I ignore them, stepping towards the phone. I take a deep breath and turn my back to the reception. _What do I say to her ?_

She picks up immediately, taking me by surprise and I almost hang up. I try to speak but all of a sudden, my throat is so tight that I have to take a few deep breaths before I can even make a sound.  
  
' **H** ello ?!' Rose repeats loudly.  
  
' **Y** -yes,' I barely manage to say.  
  
' **N** ora ?! Is that you ?'  
  
' **I** t's me.' That's all I can say before the tears start rolling.  
  
I just sob quietly on the phone unable to talk. She repeats 'it's ok sweetheart' over and over and I stay silent, just listening to her voice.  
  
' **I** 've just… I've just given my statement to the police,' I finally explain in a weak voice, sniffling loudly.  
  
' **T** hat's good, honey. You're so brave. I'm sorry I couldn't be here with you. I'm sorry…'  
  
' **I** 'm coming home soon,' I cut her off, fighting the tears, 'It was a mistake moving here.'  
  
We talk for a few minutes and she tells me to buy a cheap phone so I can talk to her when I'm safely home.

After hanging up, I quickly head to the restroom. As soon as the door shuts, I sit on the toilet and start sobbing again. _I knew I was going to break down sooner or later, I just didn't expect it to happen in public_. I need another five minutes to dry my tears before splashing my face with cold water. My eyes are red and puffy and, even if I shouldn't care about that, I hope nobody will pay too much attention to me.  
Following Rose's advice, I walk a few blocks to a shop selling second hand electronics and buy the cheapest phone available.  
By the time I make it back to the apartment building, it's already noon. The police car is still stationed across the road and I get up the stairs, exhausted. _I just want to sleep._

As soon as I turn around the corner to reach my apartment, I freeze in my tracks. A bunch of flowers is lying on my doormat and I warily glance over my shoulder. I take a few hesitant steps and grab the small envelope placed underneath the pink lilies.  
  
**_Give me a call when you're home. Bruce W._**  
  
_Bruce ?_ I get in the apartment and lock the door behind me. _Did he drop that off himself ?_ I have nothing to put the flowers in so I fill the sink with water and balance them with a pot. _That's actually the first time I get flowers_. I enter the bedroom and lie on my bed with a relieved sigh. _I should call him. Just so I don't feel guilty and I can go back to sleep until… tomorrow ?_ I dial the number and he answers before the third ring.  
  
' **B** ruce Wayne.' His voice sounds different, almost angry.  
  
' **H** i, uh, it's Nora,' I mutter awkwardly.  
  
' **N** ora,' his voice softens immediately, 'How are you ?'  
  
' **F** ine. Thank you for the flowers.'  
  
' **I** t's the least I could do. Any plans for tonight ?'  
  
_Except sleeping and watching tv ? No._ I hesitate because that's generally when people ask you to do something. _Which I really don't want to._  
  
' **N** ot really,' I answer vaguely.  
  
' **H** ow about dinner ?' he asks without surprise, 'Alfred would love to see you.'  
  
_He knows I'm going to decline, that's why he's mentioning Alfred_. I close my eyes and I feel the guilt twisting my stomach already.  
  
' **I** t's really nice of you both, but… I'm really tired and… I don't feel like going out. Maybe some other time.. ?'  
  
_The truth is, I'm too nervous to step out of my apartment again today._  
  
' **O** f course, I understand. You must be tired. Some other time then.' He repeats politely.  
  
' **P** lease tell Alfred I'm sorry.' I add rapidly. 'I appreciate the offer.'  
  
He hangs up and I throw the phone on my bed. I wish it was different because, deep down, I know I would probably enjoy spending the evening with them. Staying here alone, ruminating, isn't good but I can't help it. _It's always easier to avoid people…_  
So, as planned, I spend the evening and night, in front of the tv, eating junk food, trying to pretend everything is fine. _Even though I don't feel fine. It's like my mind is still trapped with the Joker and I can't snap out of it. I just can't get my mind to focus on anything else._  
An irritating jingle starts playing on tv and I flick through the channels impatiently. I avoid the news channel like the plague and I choose an old black and white western as a background noise while I pick up a book I've read around twenty times already.

______________________

I wake up early the next day, feeling groggy. I lie in bed for hours, in the dark room, trying to find the energy to get up. My place is a mess, old dirty dishes sitting on the kitchen side - _pretty sure I spotted mould in there_ \- empty wrappers lying on the coffee table and the crumbs on the floor could probably feed about a dozen pigeons.  
  
About two hours later, I sit back down, staring at the wall. _What am I supposed to do now ? How do I stop my brain from thinking about him again ?_ Just as I'm considering going to the bank, there's a knock on my door. My heart jumps and I glance at the clock. _11.30_. I get up slowly and take a worried look in the peephole. _Oh_. I open the door with a surprised look.  
  
' **H** i. I brought lunch,' Bruce announces with a perfect smile, holding two bags in his hands.  
  
I don't know what to say so I just step aside to let him in. _I guess tidying up was a good call_. He just stands there, glancing around my apartment before smiling gently at me.  
  
' **U** h, sit down,' I offer awkwardly, feeling slightly self conscious in my pyjamas.  
  
He puts the bags on the table but doesn't sit.  
  
' **Y** ou can kick me out now, I just came to bring you this,' he explains in an amused tone, 'I don't mean to intrude.'

' **I** t's ok, you can stay. If you want,' I add rapidly.  
  
_Surely all this food wasn't supposed to be just for me.. ?_ He nods and sits with a content sigh.  
  
' **N** ice place,' he comments, looking around the living room, casually sitting back.  
  
' **T** hanks,' I reply quietly, 'It's tiny and a bit old-fashioned, but it's ok.'  
  
' **I** like it.'  
  
_He's just being polite now._  
  
' **I** 'll be right back,' I mumble, quickly disappearing in the bedroom.  
  
I close the door and let a long breath out. _This is going to be awkward_. I appreciate the gesture though, I don't exactly have a whole lot of people knocking on my door. I quickly change into something a bit more formal and walk back to the living room.  
  
The first ten minutes _are_ awkward but thankfully Bruce has a lot of stories to tell and there's never more than ten seconds of complete silence. I appreciate the fact that I don't have to talk much and I can just listen to him, genuinely interested. _I wish I had travelled all around the world like he has and had something interesting to say_. Of course, the Joker is still in the back of my mind but at least, I can focus on something else for the time being.

An hour and a half passes and I feel like my belly is going to explode. _I don't remember the last time I had a nice and warm meal like this._

' **S** o when are you leaving ?' he asks, sipping his water.

I smile at the fact that he knows I'm leaving Gotham without me having to mention it.

' **A** ssoon as possible.'

He nods slowly and I quickly change the subject before he starts asking more questions.  
  
' **Y** ou're not working today ?'  
  
' **I** have a meeting in…' He checks his watch and sighs. 'Thirty minutes ago.'  
  
He puts his blazer back on with a casual smirk, adjusting the collar.

' **Y** ou mentioned the bank earlier. Need a ride ?' he adds, picking up his car keys on the coffee table.  
  
' **I** f you don't mind.'  
  
I quickly put my shoes on, grab my handbag and head back out with him. After unlocking his car with a quick motion of his hand, he crosses the road towards the police vehicle.

' **O** ne second.'  
  
I see the police officer rolling his window down and they start chatting like old friends. I decide to wait for him in the car so we don't waste any time, even though he doesn't seem to care about his meeting that much anyway. A few minutes later, he comes back and settles himself in the driver's seat.  
  
' **I** t's a good thing, you have the police keeping an eye on you and your place,' he comments, leaning forward to glance at my window.  
  
' **T** hough you could be kidnapping me right now, that officer didn't even look at me once,' I can't help pointing out.  
  
' **I** had dinner with him and his wife last week,' he explains flatly.  
  
' **S** o ?'

' **I** guess he trusts me.' He shrugs his shoulder, starting the car.  
  
' **H** ow long has he known you ?'

' **W** ell… a week,' he admits with a small smile.

' **S** ee,' I scoff quietly as I put my seatbelt on, 'You could be a part-time criminal, nobody would ever suspect you.'

He stops at the traffic light and turns his head towards me.

' **Y** ou mean like a... double life ?' He raises one eyebrow with a playful glint in his eyes.

' **H** m-hm. If you ever get bored,' I suggest dryly, shrugging my shoulders.  
  
He lets out a low chuckle and revs the engine a few times. A smile stretches his thin lips and he rests his hand on the gear stick before giving me a sideways glance.  
  
' **I** 'll think about it.'

____________________

These two hours with Bruce made me feel almost ''normal'' but it was short-lived. _I'm not ready to be around people, that's why I couldn't accept his offer and stay with him. I need to be alone._ So after that, I completely withdraw into myself once again, the only defence mechanism I know. I haven't watched the news or read a newspaper since the arrest because I don't want to know anything about Gotham anymore.

The wound is healing, _slowly_ , but I know it's going to leave a scar, an ugly reminder of _him_ on my skin. Every night I wake up, sweat covering my forehead and even if I don't always remember it clearly, I know I've had another nightmare. They wake me up every single night and I have to sit up for a few seconds and look around the bedroom, trying to convince my brain that I'm alone. Then, my eyes fall on the damaged teddy bear sitting on my windowsill and I lie back down with a sigh.

 _One week. That's how long I have to hold it together. One long week_. At some point, I avoid going out at all. I get food delivered at my house so I can stay locked in my apartment. I only pick up the phone a few times to reassure Bruce or Rose that I'm still alive. I can't focus on anything, nothing interests me anymore and I'm constantly on edge. Every little noise coming from the hallway is making me jump and I constantly check that my door is locked before peering through the peephole. _I know what it is… I'm waiting for him_. For him to knock on my door and take me away again. It feels like my life is on pause and I'm just waiting for this day to come. _That's why I have to leave._

I have written two letters for Bruce and Alfred, thanking them again and saying goodbye. _All the things I'm not good at in person._ Which brings me to right now. I'm sitting on the bed, my two suitcases are packed and I'm fully dressed, ready to go. For some reason, my throat is really tight and I have a weird feeling in the pit of my stomach. I should be happy but I can't. _Not yet._ Of course, I'm excited to see Rose again, god knows I've missed her, but I can't shake that weird feeling in my heart. I sigh loudly and close my handbag, pushing the stuffed bear further in. I try to call Rose one last time but her phone is still off, which means she's not back from her daily walk yet. I take one last look around the apartment before locking the door behind me.

I'm catching a plane back home and I haven't told Rose. _I want to surprise her_. I'm so nervous, a weird tingly feeling runs through my fingers and before I can think too much, the taxi is already in front of the airport.

Walking through the large terminal, surrounded by a crowd of unknown faces, I try not to panic. Being suddenly around so many people is definitely overwhelming. The constant hum of conversations and loud announcements echoing through the building, I keep my eyes up, looking for the check-in desks. A few minutes later, I'm waiting in line, staring at the plasma screens on the wall, a soft classical music in the background. With a quiet sigh, I place my handbag on top of my suitcase and decide to check my phone. As I glance down at the screen, my brows furrow in surprise. _20 missed calls, 5 messages._ As I'm about to open the first message, an unknown number appears on the screen. I pick up immediately.

' **N** ora ?' a voice asks before I can even talk.

' **Y** eah ?' I reply after a few seconds.

' **I** t's Bruce. You need to get off the plane right now.'

The urgency in his tone makes my stomach churn uncomfortably.

' **I** 'm not on the plane yet. Why ? What's up ?'

' **Y** our aunt is in Gotham.'

I furrow my brows, blinking a few times in confusion. The information sinks in but it still doesn't make sense.

' **W** hat ? No… she's at home.' I shake my head, pushing my suitcases forward as the line starts moving again.  
  
_What is he talking about ?_

' **I** got a call from Gordon, he tried to contact you. Apparently, your aunt went over to the police station looking for you. She didn't know your exact address so he gave it to her.'

' **O** k ?!' I urge him on.

At this point, I've already left the line and I'm crossing the terminal towards the exit, the phone trapped between my ear and my shoulder.

' **I** 'm at the apartment now. She's not here.'

I frown and walk even faster.

' **S** o she hasn't arrived yet… What's wrong ?' I insist impatiently.

' **T** here's a suitcase in your living room, the front door was wide open when I arrived and…' There's a pause before he finishes. '...the place is wrecked, Nora.'

My heart drops in my chest and I feel like I can't breathe. _No…_ I run towards the sliding doors, the small wheels of my suitcases rattling over the pavement. I hail a taxi, pushing past another man waiting for one. Before he can even protest, I've already slammed the door in his face and I quickly give the address to the driver.

' **I** 'm coming back now,' that's all my broken voice manages to say before I hang up the phone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Until next time! Stay safe <3


	13. Another choice

                                                                     

 

My legs are shaking nervously and I'm staring outside the window, brows furrowed. _Why are we still on the freeway ?_ For some reason, the trip back feels longer and the worried thoughts are starting to gnaw at me. _She has to be ok_. I click my finger joints, looking at the GPS screen. _Ten more minutes_. I can see the driver glancing at me in the mirror, probably wondering why I look so stressed but, thankfully, he doesn't try to start a conversation.

As soon as the taxi pulls up, I jump out of the vehicle and pull my suitcases out with a sudden burst of energy. Before he can even talk, I'm already shoving the money into the driver's hands.  
  
' **K** eep the change.'  
  
There's a police car on the other side of the road and my heart pounds even harder. I leave my suitcases downstairs in the hallway and run up the stairs, struggling to take an actual deep breath. Bruce is the first person I spot outside my door. He's already on the phone so he nods at me without a word.  
  
When I turn around to face my apartment, my heart sinks. The glass top of the coffee table is shattered, sharp pieces spread all over the carpet, the wooden legs are broken, as if something heavy had fallen on it. The curtains got ripped down and one of the mirror is visibly cracked. My head starts spinning and I don't know where to look anymore. _It looks like there was a violent fight…_ The tears well up in my eyes and I feel a hand on my shoulder.  
  
' **D** on't panic,' Bruce says as soon as he sees my horrified expression, 'The police are looking for her. She'll be fine.'  
  
Unfortunately, his comforting words seem empty to me. _They always say that, right ? Even when the person actually died, there must have been someone along the way, telling the family that the victim was ''fine''._  
  
' **T** hey're checking with the bank now to see if her card has been used after she left the station.'  
  
I nod, still unable to talk. I finally pay attention to the other people in the apartment; two police officers and the landlord who's on the phone, talking quietly. I hadn't even noticed but my aunt's red suitcase is by the front door, against the wall. _It is her, there's no doubt_. I push past Bruce and run back out the apartment building. I think he says something to me but I ignore him. Instead, I sit outside on the steps and stare at the cars driving by. _I know who's doing that_. _It's him_. I hear footsteps behind me and Bruce joins me on the steps with a heavy sigh. He clasps his hands together and finally glances at me.  
  
' **T** hey'll find her,' he reassures me again.  
  
I don't say anything.  
  
' **L** et me drive you back to the penthouse…' he continues but I cut him off immediately.  
  
' **N** o, I have to look for her.' I shake my head, avoiding his gaze. 'She could be somewhere close…'  
  
' **N** ora.' His hand wraps around my arm and he pulls me up gently. 'Let the police do their job.'  
  
I don't even try to argue and just follow him quietly. _He's right. What can I do ?_ Thankfully, he notices the suitcases I left in the hallway and carries them to his car. _I would have definitely forgotten them here_. I sit down mechanically, gazing out of the window. I know it's pointless but, as we drive away from the apartment, my eyes are scanning the streets, looking for her.  
  
' **I** t's my fault,' I suddenly let out.  
  
' **H** ow is this your fault ?' Bruce furrows his brows.  
  
' **I** just had to let her know,' I reply quietly, 'She would still be home if I had just told her I was coming.'  
  
My throat tightens and I look out of the window. He says something again, probably trying to comfort me, but his voice starts fading into the background as more grim thoughts fill my mind.

____________________

As soon as we walk through the door, a strong smell of freshly baked biscuits and coffee infiltrates my nostrils and I give a small smile to Alfred who's already reaching for my jacket. We've just sat down when Bruce's phone starts ringing. My heart jumps in my chest, hoping it might be for me. He picks up but his expression barely changes.  
  
' **O** f course.' He hands the phone over to me.

I almost snatch it out of his hand.  
  
' **H** ello ?!'  
  
' **N** ora, it's James Gordon. I couldn't reach you on your phone…'  
  
' **I** t's dead,' I reply precipitately.  
  
' **Y** our aunt's credit card has been used an hour ago at an ATM.' My heart jumps. 'I'm normally not allowed to do that but… I'll send you a picture of the man using her card, just in case you recognize him.'  
  
' **W** ait !' I say quickly before he hangs up, 'Have you asked the Joker ?'  
  
There's a short pause.  
  
' **N** o,' He finally replies, 'We don't know if it's related yet, Nora. I'll be in touch shortly.'  
  
He hangs up. _Why doesn't he want to ask him ? We're losing time when I know for sure that he's involved in her disappearance. He's done that to get to me._

A few seconds later, I open the picture and we all look at the man captured by the security camera. He's in his thirties, long blond hair sticking out of his winter hat. There's nothing special about him but a wave of nausea hits me as I imagine him hurting Rose. For the next minute, I just stare at the phone in silence, sipping my cup of coffee.  
  
After that, I start pacing back and forth in the guest room. _I feel useless here. I should be out there doing something. Anything._  
It's 6pm when I finally decide to go out. The sun is setting and the darkness is about to envelope the whole city but I don't care. _If Gordon isn't going to ask the Joker, then there's another person who might know something. Bill. I have no idea where and how to find him but I guess the best place to start is the Narrows._

As I'm tiptoeing through the hallway, I don't even make it past the living room before a voice stops me in my tracks.  
  
' **G** oing somewhere ?' Alfred is standing still a few feet behind me.  
  
I shove my hands into the large pocket at the front of my hoodie.  
  
' **Y** es, I'm going out,' I reply with a sigh.

 _And there's nothing he can do or say to stop me._ Deep wrinkles appear on his forehead and I _know_ that he wants to tell me not to go, so what he says next takes me by surprise.

' **F** air enough. I won't waste your time and try to convince you otherwise then.' He nods slowly, a serious look on his face. 'Although you shouldn't go out alone at night without this. Not in Gotham anyway.' He hands me a small object.

 _A pepper spray_. I smile and slide it in my pocket.

' **T** hank you, Alfred.'

_____________________

I knew the taxi driver would be reluctant to drive me to the Narrows, but I didn't expect him to stop right at the end of the bridge.  
  
' **I** don't go further than that,' he states flatly, glancing at me in the mirror.  
  
I sigh and hand him the money. He makes a dangerous U-turn as soon as I'm outside the vehicle and I put my hood back on. _This is crazy. There's no way I'll find Bill in the Narrows, but I have to do something, even if it's suicidal. If anything happens to her and all I've done is just sit around, waiting, I will never forgive myself_.

I follow some passers-by who seem to be heading in the same direction and soon, I arrive in a lively street, neon signs and lights flashing brightly. Coming from a nearby bar, I hear an obnoxious laughter and angry voices all drowned out by the loud music. Across the street, I spot a small crowd cheering two drunk men throwing punches at each other. _Trying anyway_. The sewer smell is floating in the air and, after a while, I become accustomed to it.

I start playing with my sleeves nervously, fiddling with a stray thread and I glance at a group of people chatting loudly a few feet away. I'm so nervous, I close my eyes and take a deep breath. I'm not used to approach strangers, let alone in this kind of environment but I force myself to. _They do look threatening, but it doesn't mean they're bad people, they might just want to look intimidating… right ?_ I clear my throat and step closer to a girl whose back is turned to me.  
  
' **E** xcuse me,' I speak up and it takes everything in me not to run away.  
  
I regret approaching her as soon as she turns around to face me. Her pupils are unnaturally wide, as if she's on something-and I definitely don't want to know what it is- and she has some ugly scars across her cheeks.  
  
' **W** hat ?' she snaps while chewing a gum loudly.  
  
She looks me up and down, raising her eyebrows impatiently.  
  
' **D** o you know a guy called William Stone ?' I ask trying to sound confident.  
  
_I don't know what's going on with me… I have no idea if this William Stone that Gordon mentioned is even the Bill I know. This is all a stupid idea_. I might be imagining it but she seems to give me a dirty look as soon as I pronounce the name.  
  
' **N** ope.' She starts chewing again, glaring at me now.  
  
I slowly walk away but I can still feel her suspicious eyes on me.

I approach two other men and they all give me the same answer. _I just have to find the right person._ I ask another man who looks harmless but he just gives me a blank look before walking away without a word. _Ok, now I'm really starting to think this was a bad idea_. The cold starts to creep up under my hoodie and I wish I had brought a jacket with me. _I should leave now and be grateful that I'm still in one piece._

From the corner of my eye, I see a black car driving slowly next to me and fear grips my throat. _Is it following me ?_ The windows are tinted so there isn't any point in staring at the car but all my senses are on high alert and I clutch at the pepper spray in my pocket. After hearing a loud beep, I'm ready to run away when the driver's window suddenly rolls down. My heart jumps in surprise. _It's Bill !_ He pulls up and by the time he's out of the vehicle, I'm already standing by his door.  
  
' **B** ill, I...' I start but he's not even looking at me.  
  
' **K** eep walking.' His tone is low but threatening.  
  
He's glaring at something behind me so I glance over my shoulder and spot two men a few feet away, looking at me. _Were they following me ?!_ They walk off without saying anything and I can't help the shiver running through my body.  
  
' **I** was looking for you,' I start again as he's absently patting his pockets for a lighter.  
  
' **N** o shit,' he snorts, a cigarette bouncing in the corner of his lips, 'Looking for trouble ?'  
  
I shake my head, taking my phone out of the pocket. After opening the picture of the suspect, I hold the screen in front of his face. His eyebrows knit together and he grabs the phone out of my hand, while taking a long drag.  
  
' **N** ew boyfriend ?' he asks dryly before blowing the smoke away from me, 'You can do better, love.'  
  
I snatch my phone out of his hand, which only makes him chuckle.  
  
' **I** 'm not in the mood,' I retort impatiently, 'Someone has disap-…'

' **L** et me guess.' He squints, his smile fading quickly. 'Your aunt has disappeared and you need my help.'  
  
I open my mouth in surprise, my heart jumping. _He knows, which means…_  
  
' **I** was actually looking for you,' he continues before I can talk, 'You made it easier by coming here, I guess.' He glances around us before adding. ' _He_ wants to see you.'  
  
My heart sinks into my stomach.  
  
' **I** sn't he in… ?'  
  
' **A** rkham yeah,' he finishes my sentence, 'You have to go there and meet him.'  
  
I snort bitterly. _Sure_.  
  
' **H** ow am I supposed to do that ? They don't allow visitors.'  
  
It's his turn to snort, a small smile stretching his lips.  
  
' _ **Y**_ _ou_ don't have to do anything. You just have to agree.'  
  
_Have I got a choice ?_ He hasn't actually said it but I feel like it's a "if you ever want to see her alive" kind of situation, so I agree.  
  
' **G** ood.' He flicks his cigarette with a smirk. 'I need your number.'

I ask him for more details but, as expected, he just brushes me off and crushes the cigarette butt under his heel.  
  
' **G** o home now,' he advises me coldly.  
  
I turn around without a word, already deep in thought.  
  
' **H** ow did you even come here ?' he suddenly asks before I get too far from him.  
  
I turn around, still walking slowly backwards, hands in my pockets.  
  
' **T** axi.' I shrug my shoulders.  
  
' **J** esus.' He rolls his eyes, gesturing to his car. 'Get in.'  
  
He gets back in the vehicle and I hesitate for a few seconds. _Walking back to the bridge doesn't seem too appealing right now and I think I can trust Bill not to hurt me._  
  
' **W** here are you staying ?' he asks, glancing in the rear view mirror before pulling in.  
  
I mechanically give him the address before biting my bottom lip. _I didn't mean to give the exact address_. I see him slightly squint as if he's thinking really hard and then a wide smile stretches his lips.

' **W** ayne ?' He frowns with an amused look, his tongue peeking out.

I don't say anything but he chuckles lowly before pursing his lips.

' **Y** ou might want to keep that a secret,' he adds, a playful glint flashing in his eyes.

I almost regret getting in his car as soon as he starts driving. He goes fast, _too fast_ , and soon my nails are painfully digging into my lap. His fingers tapping the wheel, he's casually whistling and the engine roars, echoing around the streets of Gotham.

As the sick feeling in my stomach settles, he stops the car abruptly. I was so on edge and focused on my seatbelt that I didn't even realize we were so close to the penthouse already. I thank him and get out of his car, a quiet sigh of relief escaping my lips.  
  
' **L** isten.' His tone is cold again as if he's about to threaten me with something.

I lean forward to make eye contact.  
  
' **Y** ou'll get a text tomorrow with a time and location. Go alone, _obviously_.' He reaches for another cigarette and lights it with a quick gesture. 'Don't fuck up, Nora. I'll see you around.'  
  
' **Y** eah.' I slam the door with a shiver.  
  
The car speeds up and disappears around the corner.

Bruce and Alfred are waiting for me inside and I decide to tell them everything. _Well, except for Bill._ I simply explain that I've been approached by one of the Joker's henchmen, without giving any more details.  
  
' **I** t's too dangerous.' Alfred shakes his head immediately. 'This monster is just dying to get his hands on you again. It's obviously a trap.'  
  
' **I** t's my aunt, Alfred,' I explain weakly, 'I have already made my decision.'  
  
Bruce is staring at me but still hasn't said a word. _Impossible to know what he thinks._  
  
' **I** need to talk to Gordon,' I continue out loud, more to myself than to them, 'Maybe he could contact Batman and we could make a plan or… something.'  
  
Alfred stays quiet this time, nodding his head slowly.  
  
' **M** ake sure you're safe,' Bruce says simply, his piercing eyes staring at me, 'I have to head out, are you going to be ok ?'  
  
' **I** 'll keep her company, master Wayne,' Alfred assures him.  
  
' **I** 'm fine,' I agree with a quick nod.  
  
Alfred gets up and heads to the kitchen while Bruce straightens his suit with a sigh.  
  
' **Y** ou have a date ?' I can't help to ask curiously.  
  
' **I** guess you can call it that,' he replies vaguely, grabbing his keys.  
  
I start dialling Gordon's personal number as he walks away. I explain him the situation and, while being reluctant, he finally accepts to try to contact Batman and meet me. _I don't often ask for help and I feel incredibly guilty but I know I need them this time._ After hanging up, I turn to Alfred with a shaky sigh.  
  
' **I** f Batman answers the signal, they'll come over here,' I explain rapidly.  
  
The old man gives me a small smile.  
  
' **I** 'm sure he will.'

______________________

' **I** can't let you do this, Nora. I can't let you walk in there, knowing he's waiting for you. I'll have a talk with him myself.'  
  
' **H** e knows where my aunt is,' I protest desperately, 'He won't talk to you and you know that, but there's a chance he'll talk to me.'

' **T** his is the Joker we're talking about,' he retorts raising his eyebrows, 'He won't just give you what you want and let you go !'

The Commissioner rests his hands on his hips and turns towards the tall buildings opposite us. _I know that what he says is completely true but I'm desperate. Rose has been gone for more than 24 hours now_.

' **I** 'll follow her,' Batman speaks for the first time since he arrived.  
  
Gordon glances at him and then back at me.  
  
' **I** f _anything_ happens to you…' he starts, shaking his head.  
  
' **T** hen it'll be my fault,' I finish the sentence confidently.  
  
I wrap my arms around myself when a cold gust of wind blows violently and I turn my back to it.  
  
' **A** s soon as you get the text, you call me,' he continues, in a serious tone.  
  
I nod without hesitation.

Gordon leaves shortly after and I'm left alone with Batman on the balcony.  
  
' **T** hanks for…' I turn around but he's already gone.  
  
I sigh and lean on the railing, looking down at the night traffic. _It's going to be ok._

_________________

The next morning, my mind is a mess. I have probably slept two hours, my body is sore, as if I had slept on the floor and I genuinely feel like crying. As an attempt to distract my mind, I find myself counting the steps leading downstairs but by the time I reach the last one I've already forgotten the number. I put my phone in the kitchen and then panicked when I can't find it in the bedroom. _I just can't think straight. I'm too nervous and I'm worried sick about Rose._

Alfred tries to start a conversation but I can't talk. _What's going to happen in Arkham Asylum ?_ The place alone is enough to give me nightmares. So, for the next hours, I sit on my phone reading articles about the establishment. _I wish I didn't_.

At five, Bruce leaves for another meeting and I sit with Alfred in the living room. My phone is on charge right next to me but it doesn't stop me from checking the screen every two minutes. I'm driving myself crazy and, judging by his sudden quietness, I think even Alfred has given up trying to reassure me. A loud beep suddenly resonates in the room and my heart drops. I unlock the screen with a shaky hand and read the message.  
  
_Hurry, ends midnight! 20% off your next…_  
  
I delete the ad with a grunt and close my eyes, slowly rubbing my forehead. _The wait is killing me_. I try to eat a slice of bread but almost choke on it so I settle for a simple glass of water. _It's 7.15 and still nothing_.

An hour later, I'm sitting cross legged on the couch, fiddling with the hem of my top and Alfred is reading a novel, adjusting his square glasses on his nose. That's when the second loud beep resonates.

 _Arkham Asylum gate. 9pm._  
  
_In forty-five minutes ?!_ Unable to talk, I take a deep breath and show it to Alfred. He forcefully closes his book and gets up to contact Gordon. _Time to go._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Next chapter is almost done, so it shouldn't be too long ;)
> 
> Random question. Have you guys seen the first videos of Joaquin Phoenix's Joker? Thoughts.. yay, nay?
> 
> Stay safe! <3


	14. Arkham

                                                              

 

It's 8.55 and it's been ten minutes since the taxi dropped me off in front of Arkham Asylum. I knew the place was going to be creepy, it is a mental asylum for the criminally insane after all, but this just looks... worse than I imagined. I had looked it up before coming so I knew the whole place was huge with different buildings and sections, but the little confidence I had has completely vanished now. The main lights are located a few feet away on the other side of the front gate, lighting the path towards the main entrance. Thankfully, the silver moon is high in the sky, giving off more light than the useless lamppost behind me whose rays die only inches from the bulb. There's a forest surrounding the establishment and the skinny trees resemble tall, crooked figures. To top it all, several crows seem to be cawing to each other throughout the forest and the loud raucous sound makes my heart pound in fear. _I can't see any guards, which makes me even more worried_. I stay close to the gate, my back turned to the dark woods. _I know Batman has to be somewhere close, hidden, but not having caught even a glimpse of him since I arrived is making me anxious. What if something happened ?_ I shake my head, taking a deep breath. _Batman wouldn't let me down and I know Gordon isn't far either_.

Then I hear something. A rustling in dry leaves. A clicking sound. More rustling. Then the unmistakable sound of footsteps walking on dead leaves. I turn around, all the muscles in my body tensing with apprehension. Suddenly, a bright light momentarily blinds me and I instinctively block the light with one hand. When I look again, I see a relatively young man walking towards me, a flashlight in his hand. I glance up at his face and I'm relieved to see that he looks… _normal_. His smooth skin, high cheekbones and slight smile give him an innocent look. _But I'm more intrigued by the white lab coat he's wearing_. He's only a few feet away from me now and his expression still hasn't changed. _Almost like a manikin_. A sudden uneasy feeling grips my throat and I cross my arms uncomfortably.  
  
' **G** ood evening, Nora.'  
  
I nod without a word.  
  
' **T** his way,' he indicates in a soft spoken voice, walking up to the tall gate.  
  
He stops a few inches away and glances up on the right. I follow his gaze and spot a security camera, half hidden by a tree. There's a loud click and the gate rattles open. I stay close behind him as we cross the gate. Still no guards in view and the gate remains open behind us.  
  
' **A** re you a real doctor ?' I ask awkwardly.  
  
_I don't want to start a conversation but I'm just wondering if we're going to sneak in or casually_ _waltz_ _in there._  
  
' **H** mm.' His expression remains unchanged, his gaze fixed in front of him.  
  
That could have been a yes or a no but I don't really feel like insisting.  
  
' **Y** ou don't know who I am ?' he asks and I think I can hear a slight surprise in his tone.  
  
' **N** o,' I reply simply.  
  
I'm tempted to ask him but my mind is too preoccupied by my meeting with the Joker. We walk past a few cars parked at the front, around the imposing steps leading to the main entrance and disappear around the first building into the darkness. I shiver when my shoulder sometimes brushes the ivy growing on the brick wall. I have to physically fight the urge to turn around and look for Batman. _I have a terrible feeling about all this and I wish I could just run away, but I need to think about my aunt first_. I repeat this in my head to give me some courage and force my legs to keep moving. We're far from the gate now but, at least, there are more lights where we're going and I quickly glance sideways at the man escorting me. A strand of brown wavy hair is falling over his forehead and his eyes are bright blue. He seems rather harmless but there's something unsettling about him. _Like a cold aura_. _Or it's just this horrible place_. I catch a glimpse of the name on his badge. _Dr Jonathan Crane. He might be a real doctor._  
  
We suddenly stop and I stand slightly behind him as he's heading for a metal door, almost hidden in the darkness. _Authorized personnel only_. The night is cold and quiet, almost too quiet. Another gust of wind lifts the hood of my jacket and I glance over my shoulder. I can just about make out a large field of grass and the trees in the distance. The man starts fiddling with the locked door and I want to point out that he obviously needs a pass to get in when the silence is suddenly broken by a loud shrill sound. An alarm starts blaring and I see flashes of red beaming through the windows above us. And of course, the door unlocks. I give a last glance over my shoulder before following him inside. That's when the fear starts to really settle. _I'm inside. I'm normally not claustrophobic at all, but suddenly, I feel like the walls are closing_ _in on me_ _. I'm on my own now_.

We go through a dark and empty corridor and quickly reach a long flight of stairs leading downstairs. He's walking in front of me and I immediately notice the air getting colder as we reach the new corridor. The main lights are off, the red emergency light flashing alternately on the ceiling. The flashlight gets turned on once again and I try to keep up with his long strides. _I definitely don't want to_ _fall behind_. There's a massive cell door in our way so we come to a stop again. This time, he shoves one hand into his coat's pocket and gets a small card out. He swipes it in a casual manner and the door unlocks. As soon as the door shuts though, he freezes as a guard appears down the hallway. I glance at the doctor but his surprise has disappeared from his face-if it had ever even been there- and he's now staring at the guard confidently.  
  
' **O** h. Hey.' The guard startles. ' _Doctor,_ ' he adds with relief.  
  
' **N** ew here ?' Jonathan guesses without a smile, 'Everything alright ?'  
  
' **Y** es.' He nods energetically. 'I don't exactly know what's happening with the power but the main generator has been switched on and the cell doors remained locked in this section. All the patients are in their cells. What's happening in the East Wing Corridor ?'

 _What are they doing ?_  
  
' **M** adness,' the doctor replies and I see the suggestion of a smile at the corners of his mouth, 'They'll need your help.' He adds with a cold expression.  
  
' **O** f course.'  
  
The security guard disappears through the cell door down the hallway and we continue the opposite way in silence. It seems as if the air starts getting thicker and the red lights are getting weaker. We're walking past the cells now and while I can't see anything through the heavy metal doors, I can _hear_ them. A whisper. _Silence_. An eerie laugh on my right. Then a faint muffled cry echoes in the dark hallway. _Silence again._ The hair on my body stands up painfully and my heart is beating so fast, I'm having trouble to breathe comfortably. _I don't want to be here._  
  
' **A** re you scared ?' he suddenly asks and it's the first time that I actually see a genuine smile.  
  
I furrow my brows but I can't even focus on his weird behavior, because I'm relieved he's with me. All of a sudden, all the lights turn back on and I freeze in my tracks. There's someone at the end of the hallway in the distance and it's not a guard. The figure turns around and it's a short female but there's something really wrong with her eyes. I squint and realize that I'm staring at two empty eye sockets. A shiver runs through me and I shift on my feet uncomfortably.

' **S** tay here,' Jonathan states in a calm whisper.

He really doesn't have to tell me that as I have no intention to approach any of the patients here. _Only the Joker._ I watch him get closer to the woman. And then, all the lights turn off again. My heart jumps when I get swallowed by the darkness again. Thankfully, the red flashing lights start again and I can see the hallway in front of me. _Kind of_. That's when my heart drops in my stomach. _They're gone. No, no, no. Where did they go ?!_ I step hesitantly down the hallway where the doctor and the woman were standing a few seconds earlier. _They can't have just vanished…_ There's a loud bang next to me and I gasp loudly. _It's only a patient banging on his door. Calm down_. I take another few steps and then stop.

' **D** octor ?' I try and my weak voice barely echoes through the empty hallway.

 _He's gone_. My breath gets caught in my throat and I stand still for what seems like ages. _I should get out of here._ There's a long and deep sob coming from one of the cells behind me and panic starts running through my veins. A sudden and chilling possibility starts growing in my mind and I can barely swallow anymore. _What if… that's why he wanted me to come… so he could keep me here ? No. No, it doesn't make sense. The place isn't abandoned, there are guards and doctors and…_

' **C** alm down,' I whisper to myself, trying to stop my train of thoughts.

For some reason, I need to hear my own voice to reassure me. I should just walk a bit further and see if I can find that Jonathan and if not, I will walk back outside. _I think I know the way back._ I take a deep breath and step forward shakily. Every time, the red lights come back on, I expect to see someone in front of me but there's nobody else. I stop a few feet away from a door and I can either turn on the left and continue down the hallway or go down a flight of stairs on my right. My heart suddenly stops when I catch a glimpse of something from the corner of my eye. There's a man in the middle of the stairs. I can only see his emaciated face, scaly skin and bulging eyes, the rest of his body hidden behind the wall. _And he has the creepiest smile I've ever seen_. My mouth is open and my body completely frozen. My brain is begging me to run but I can't move my legs. That's only when he starts moving towards me, out of the darkness, that my body reacts. He's not just walking up the stairs, he is _crawling_ up like something out of a horror movie. _That's enough for me_.

I dart back down the hallway, the blood rushing through my head. I glance over my shoulder and I see the man chasing me, his legs and arms moving inhumanly fast. _I just want to cry in fear._ I can hear the fast padding sound of his hands and bare feet on the floor but I refuse to look again. I run as fast as I can and almost crash against the cell door. _Noo…_ I clutch the bars and start shaking them frantically. _I'm locked in._ I turn around and I see him crawling up in the distance. Every time the red lights come back on, he's only closer to me. All the lights suddenly turn back on. Just when I think that my heart is going to literally burst through my chest, there's a voice right next to my ear.

' _ **H**_ _i_.'

I gasp in relief when I hear _him_ and the cell door suddenly unlocks. The Joker pulls me roughly back before shutting the door again. I stagger and take a deep breath, legs shaking. He chuckles and cocks his head to the side, looking through the bars at the man crawling on the other side.

' **A** nd they call _me_ crazy,' he snorts, pointing at the man mockingly, 'Nora doesn't want to play with you,' he adds with a fake apologetic look, leaning slightly forward as if he was talking to a dog.

I rest my back against the wall, eyes shut, trying to catch my breath. The adrenaline is still pumping through my veins but the fear is slowly dissipating. I finally look back up and take in the Joker's appearance. He's bare feet, wearing a straitjacket, but of course, the end of the sleeves have been cut off and his arms and hands are free. When he turns around, I see that he doesn't have any make up either and his lips curl slightly up.

' **G** ood to see you.' His gaze trails up and down my body and he circles around me as if he was making sure it's really me.

 _After what just happened, I'm relieved to see him, but I obviously don't say it_. The creepy patient is holding onto the bars now, still staring at me with empty eyes and a creepy smile. I turn my back to him because I know his face is going to be printed in my mind and probably give me nightmares for weeks. The Joker notices my discomfort and glances back between me and the man.

' **I** s he bothering you ?' He wrinkles his nose, pointing at the man.

I shake my head but he's already stepping towards him with a sigh. He suddenly slams his foot on the man's fingers, crushing them against the bars and he leans slightly forward. A yelp comes out of the man's mouth and he tries to pull his fingers from under the Joker's foot.

' **I** know Nora looks very sweet _and_ you might wannaaa, uh… _take a bite_.' He nods, his lips curling in a smile. 'But she's _my_ date and you're ruining the fun.'

He puts more weight on his foot and the man cries out in pain. Suddenly, I'm not scared anymore. _I feel sorry for him_.

' **E** nough,' I say coldly.

The Joker turns his head to me, his hair slightly hiding one side of his face and he sighs dramatically. He finally removes his foot and lets the man crawl away.

' **I** was doing that for _you_ ,' he retorts defensively, 'But, fine.' He walks up to me and grabs my wrist. 'Let's go somewhere more… _private_.'  
  
The contact with his hot skin gets me out of my torpor and I follow him before he has to drag me down the hallway by force.

' **W** here is the doctor ? What is he doing ?' I ask suspiciously.

I'm not sure he's even a real doctor but the Joker shrugs his shoulders.

' **U** hhh, I don't know, Nora. Maybe the… _doctor_ is wearing his mask right now, scaring people to death ? Just a _wild_ guess.' His tone is sarcastic.

' **T** he doctors must be scary in here,' I mutter quietly after a short pause.

He gives me a sidelong glance and his scarred lips spread into a grin. I stay quiet, not sure why he seems amused.

' **I** would have taken you back to my cell, but it's a bit, uh… _messy_ ,' he explains with a humorous tone.

 _I really dont want to know what he means by 'messy_ '.

' **W** here's your cell ?' I ask weakly, keeping up with his long strides.

' **I** n the, _umm_ … intensive treatment center.' His eyes roll to me and he shakes his head. 'I know it sounds _serious_ , but it's a fun place, really. _Extreeeme_ isolation, they call it,' he accentuates the word in a mocking tone and, considering the situation, it _is_ ironic.

I stay quiet until he pushes me into a room, slamming the door behind us. I stumble into the room, almost losing my balance and I take a quick look at my surroundings. The concrete floor is dirty and patchy and there's a small screen on the wall in front of a restraint chair placed in the corner. The Joker chuckles behind me and his chest brushes my back.  
  
' **T** hat's not for _you_ ,' he retorts mockingly, seemingly reading my mind.

Before I can even reply, his fingers have already wrapped around my shoulders and he slams my back against the wall. I watch him stare me down as one of his hand comes up to my throat. He squints and keeps his eyes on me, his head tilting slightly and I see the raised scars in the corners of his mouth slowly twitch.

' **Y** ou're not even scared.' He almost frowns in surprise.

I don't know what he's talking about because my heart is _racing_ and I know he can feel it under the palm of his hand. His eyes flicker to my lips and I know what he's about to do, I have plenty of time to move away but I don't. _And he doesn't_ _miss the opportunity_ _._ His lips come crashing against mine and for a minute, I almost close my eyes, leaning against the wall. I don't know if that patient chasing me earlier has put my mind into a strange state but my body seems to be reacting very slowly. I finally push him away as roughly as I can.  
  
' **S** top **,** ' I grunt and I feel my cheeks burn with embarrassment.  
  
He licks his scarred lips as if he could still taste me and shakes his head, stepping closer again.  
  
' **O** h, Nora.' He lets a growl out, his jaw clenching. 'I _know_ you wouldn't let someone touch you like I do, if you didn't want it.'  
  
' **W** here's Rose ?'  
  
He rolls his eyes and takes a step back, obviously annoyed by the sudden change of subject.  
  
' **W** e'll get there, no need to be _rude_.'  
  
' **I** f you've hurt her, I swear I'll…' I start, gritting my teeth.  
  
In one rapid step, he's back in my personal space, his arms trapping me between him and the wall.  
  
' **Y** ou'll what, hmm ? _Hurt_ me ?' His voice goes high-pitched and he exhales loudly. ' _Caareful..._ Threats are only for people who can, uh…' His face leans closer again. '… _handle_ the consequences.'  
  
I bite back what I want to say and remain quiet. _He's the one_ _making the rules_ _, I just have to play along_. I swallow hard and look at him in the eyes again but his expression has completely changed. He's frowning now and he takes a step back, tilting his head to the side.  
  
' **W** here have you been, hm ?'  
  
_What does he mean ?_  
  
' **J** ust tr **...** ' I start.  
  
' **Y** ou don't smell like _you…_ You _stink_ of cologne,' he cuts me off coldly, 'And while I _understand_ that you might have felt lonely, you shouldn't, uh…' He points at me and shakes his head disapprovingly. 'You _really_ shouldn't do that.'

I feel uncomfortable all of a sudden and I see him slowly grinding his teeth, his eyes still glaring at me without blinking once.  
  
' **D** o… what ?' I hesitate to ask.  
  
' **L** ook, listen.' His eyelids droop for a few seconds and he smacks his lips. 'Thinking about other men _touching_ you…' His tongue darts out while he's searching for his next words. '… is driving me _crazy_.'  
  
His hands shake frenetically as if he's strangling an invisible neck and I hold my breath worriedly.  
  
' **A** nd you don't want to see _me_ crazy,' he adds rapidly, jaw clenched.  
  
The tone of his voice has changed so fast that it sends a painful shiver down my spine. _I didn't realize that Bruce's strong cologne was still clinging stubbornly to my own clothes._

' **I** , um… ok,' I stutter before nodding stupidly.

There's no glint of humor left in his eyes so when he reaches up to unbutton my jacket, I let him. As soon as he sees the 'J' on my skin, he grunts lowly and licks his lips. I see something flash in his eyes and I _know_ he likes what he's seeing.  
  
' **T** his means…' he drawls in a sing song voice, slowly tracing the healing wound with his rough fingertips. '…that you're mine.'  
  
I don't move and there's nothing I want to say either.  
  
' **I** just needed a break, Nora,' he continues absently and his fingertips feel like they're burning my skin, 'Sometimes things get a _liittle_ bit crazy and I forget to, y'know, _rest_.'  
  
_I know I thought his arrest that night wasn't planned, but now that I see him here… He wasn't even in his cell, he somehow got out of the straitjacket, I have no doubt that he could leave this place whenever he wanted…_

It's at this moment that I get a notification on my phone. He doesn't try to stop me when I reach for it in my pocket and I quickly unlock the screen, holding the phone slightly behind him. I read the message from Gordon without any apparent reaction.

 _Your aunt is in hospital. She's fine. GET OUT OF THERE ASAP. ON OUR WAY._  
  
I want to cry in relief but I keep a straight face.  
  
' **I** have to go,' I inform him but I know it sounds more like a request, because… _it is_.  
  
' **O** k.' His eyes haven't left mine and he's still only inches from me.  
  
I frown in confusion. I glance at the door on my right and look back at him. _I know him enough to be certain that he would never let me go that easily. Not without something in return at least._  
  
' **W** hat's the catch ?' I retort suspiciously, still not moving away.  
  
He shakes his head almost imperceptibly.  
  
' **T** here's no _catch_ , Nora.' His face twists into a frown and he pushes a strand of hair off my face. 'I just missed you.'  
  
_I don't believe any of that, but I'm too excited about Rose to try to analyze his behavior right now_. He takes a step back and I let a silent breath out.  
  
' **T** hank you.' I make eye contact with him before turning around to reach the door.  
  
_Big mistake_. By the time I feel the needle in my neck, it's already too late. He circles around me, a satisfied glint in his eyes.  
  
' **W** hat did you do ?!' I rub the spot on my neck, eyes wide with fear.

A hot feeling rushes through my veins, spreading all over my body, and there's nothing I can do to stop it. When it reaches my head, a weird tingling sensation creeps up to my brain and I stagger, trying to grab the handle. He holds my back before I fall over and his mouth is close to my ear with a long ''shhh''.  
  
' **J** ust helping you… _relax_ ,' he drawls in a deep voice.  
  
My body feels like it doesn't belong to me anymore. Leaning against him, I start dragging my feet on the floor, walking back down the hallway. I feel limp, hot and sweaty but most of all, helpless. _What is this drug ?_ My mind is still surprisingly clear but I feel like I can't control my body. Even if my instincts are ready to kick in, it's only in my head. I don't try to fight him, I don't stop, I just walk with him, clutching at his arm for support.  
  
' **W** hat have you done to me ?' I ask in a weak voice.  
  
Then, my vision gets blurry. The walls are too close around me and then they seem to drift far away. I turn my head everywhere, trying to make sense of what I'm seeing, but all I see is blotches of red and dark in front of my eyes. The Joker's voice resonates in my ears, his hands are on my arm, then on my back, then at the back of my head. There is a loud bang and I feel the fresh air again. _Finally outside_. Suddenly, my whole body falls with a thud and my cheek hits the wet grass.

' **L** et's see what happens now.' The Joker's voice is coming from somewhere above me and I hear his bare feet running on the grass before he disappears out of sight.  
  
I swallow hard but I can't move. I place my palms on the ground, trying to lift my body up again but all I manage to do is rip off a handful of grass. There's the sudden sound of an engine in the distance. _He's escaping._ _Where is Batman ?_ Just as I'm thinking about him, he appears above me.  
  
' **W** hat happened ?' His raspy voice sounds angry.  
  
' **H** e d-drugged me,' I reply weakly, 'You have to stop him.'  
  
There's a silence before I see him crouching in front of me. His arms slide under me and he scoops me swiftly up. As I'm being carried back to the main entrance, I can't help to notice how much control Batman has over his breathing. _He barely makes a sound_ _._ He puts me down at the bottom of the stairs with a surprising gentleness.  
  
' **G** ordon's on his way,' he says before disappearing into the darkness.  
  
I rest my head on one of the steps, the cold stone cooling down my burning head. I hear some commotion inside the building but I'd rather not know what's happening.  _At least Rose is safe._ I smile weakly at the thought, but the guilt is twisting my heart. _Is it my fault if he escaped ?_ I take a deep breath and try to move my legs but they feel like jelly.

A few minutes later, the first police car arrives. _Gordon is here._  
  
' **T** he ambulance should be here soon.' He crouches in front of me, a weak smile on his face, while three other officers run up the stairs.  
  
' **W** here's Rose ?' I breathe heavily, trying not to pass out.  
  
' **S** he's at the hospital. Got a few officers with her,' he nods reassuringly.  
  
_Thank god._ Gordon carries me to the car, placing me in the back seat.  
  
' **I** have to go. The situation isn't under control yet,' he explains, gesturing at the asylum.  
  
There are more flashing lights now and I can hear a lot of people talking. I see officers outside the building, one or two doctors and a few guards. I turn my head to Gordon who's about to shut the door.  
  
' **I** 'm sorry,' I whisper and I hope he can hear me.  
  
' **H** e would have escaped with or without you, Nora.' He gives me a genuine smile and shuts the door.  
  
I watch his retreating back and the conversations outside become distant. _Why did he make me come here instead of just escaping ? Maybe it was too boring for him to escape without anybody running after him… Yeah,_ _that sounds about right_ _._ The flashing lights are hurting my eyes, so I close them, still fighting the urge to fall asleep.  
  
Slumped in the back seat, I try to move away when the door suddenly opens. The voices are loud again and I almost fall out of the car before two strong hands grab me and straighten me back in the seat.  
  
' **T** he ambulance is here,' a deep voice says.  
  
My eyes are still half shut and I frown. _The voice is familiar._ It takes me all the strength I've left to open my eyes and look at the man. My vision is still blurry but I can see that he's wearing a white coat. He has a mask over his mouth, basically covering his whole face and his hair is tied in a ponytail. When my eyes meet his, my heart stops and I start hyperventilating. He scoops me up and takes me out of the car. I try to wriggle out of his hold but my body is completely limp and my head just loll against his chest. _Am I hallucinating ? I know I'm not._ I can smell his familiar scent, his long fingers digging into my skin, I can feel his hot body against mine, heart beating steadily.  
  
' **S** omeone…' It only comes out as a whisper and my lips can barely move.  
  
I see officers only a few feet away from me but nobody is paying attention to us.  
  
' **S** hhh now. They can't _hear_ you.' His mocking voice is low and he walks straight in front of him.  
  
_Towards the parked cars._  
  
' **H** ow... I-I saw you escape,' I stutter and I really wish my voice didn't sound so weak.  
  
' **H** m.' The Joker's eyes roam the crowd. 'Did you ? _No_. No, you saw me run away, you heard a car, so you _thought_ I escaped !' His chuckle is muffled by the mask but I see the smile reaching his dark eyes. ' _Stop him, please, Batman_!' he mocks me in a low voice.  
  
_Why is nobody looking at us ?!_ I realize that everybody is so preoccupied by what's happening inside the asylum that they're not even looking at what's happening outside, right under their noses. The Joker snorts and he seems to read my mind.  
  
' **T** hat's why I don't respect the police.' He mutters mockingly. 'If they're not corrupted then they're just plain… _stupid_. Not Jim, though.' He adds, nodding his head a few times. 'Jimmy _does_ have a brain, _sometimes_ , it's a shame that he's so busy right now.'  
  
_I can't believe this…_ We're getting away from the lights now and the other voices start to fade.

' **O** h. You wanna know the best part ?' He cackles a bit louder now. 'I'm not even wearing any shoes !'

He starts giggling and I try to desperately turn my head and make eye contact with someone, anyone. He opens one of the cars and places me in a lying position on the back seats. I see the black sky for a few seconds and then the door slams shut. _We're really getting away._ _He planned all this. He knew Batman would be there, that I would send him after the car, thinking it was him…_ My head is spinning now and I still fight to stay conscious. _I know I should be terrified by now but the drugs are making me increasingly calm, almost numbing all my feelings_. I move my head to the side and watch the Joker turns the key in the ignition as he takes the mask off. He glances over his shoulder, down at me and the blue and red lights illuminate one side of his face.  
  
' **S** till awake? Impressive.' He unties his hair and messes with it a little. 'That was my daily dose to keep me, uh… _docile._ ' He cackles again and his hands wrap firmly around the steering wheel.  
  
He speeds up through the gate, engine running smoothly, and I can see Arkham Asylum getting smaller in the rear view mirror and the lights getting fainter.

Soon we're in the darkness and the asylum disappears out of view. I can see the moon appear briefly through the dark trees and I feel my eyes getting watery.  
  
' **W** e have a _looot_ of things to talk about when you wake up. Despite its reputation, Arkham is a nice place to, umm, you know… _think_. And you've been on my mind, Nora. _Eve-ry day,_ ' he adds with a low chuckle that sounds distorted in my ears.  
  
Soon his voice is just an incomprehensible blurt and my eyelids get heavier and heavier, until I can't fight it anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading ;)  
> Stay safe! <3


	15. Only the truth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Sorry for the late update. I had to write/edit this chapter on my phone so it was a bit of a challenge, but I hope you enjoy!

                                                                      

 

 _Where am I ?_  I smell gunpowder, gasoline and leather... _All too familiar_. I'm lying on something soft and I almost feel like my body is floating. My scalp is covered in sweat and I'm surprised to feel a warm hand stroking my hair, the fingers brushing through the knots. I try to open my eyes, but my eyelids seem to be glued together. There's a loud heartbeat echoing in my ear and I'm pretty sure it's not mine. As I try to move again, the hand pushes my head back down and I don't have enough energy to fight it. My head is spinning with dizziness and I'm wondering which way is up until I pass out again.

_______________________

' **T** his should be… _funny_.'

My eyes flicker open and I blink a few times, letting my eyes get used to the light. I'm in an old and dirty living room and the only furniture I can see is the couch I'm currently lying on, a rusty coffee table and an old TV stand.

'... **a** nd _remember…_ This is a quick job.'

The Joker's voice gets distorted and I turn awkwardly on the couch, trying to be as quiet as possible. I don't feel dizzy anymore... until I land face-down on the floor. I quickly lift my head off the dirty carpet and I take a deep breath, the strong musty smell making my eyes water. I cough into my sleeve and the voice suddenly stops. I rest my back against the armrest and a sudden wave of pain rolls through my head _,_ spreading from behind my eyes to the back of my neck. I rub my forehead, trying to relieve the headache.

' **R** eady to go in 5.'

I furrow my brows and lift myself back on the couch. Glancing at the old kitchen behind me, I'm surprised to see two other men standing behind the Joker. I turn my head, my heart beating faster. _What happened in Arkham starts playing in my head again and I close my eyes, trying to chase the_ _dreadful feeling_ _. This has happened too many times now_. _Surely, this time it'll be the last one for me._ They start talking again, not even paying attention to me and I close my eyes, resting my head against the couch. I slowly pat my pockets, but, of course, he's taken my phone. _I can't believe that I've gone from standing at the airport a few days ago to… this._

' **W** hat does that do ?' one of the men asks.

I can't help turning my head and listening to the conversation. One of the men is leaning against the counter, examining a small device, his blond hair pulled back into a greasy ponytail. His mouth is slightly open, revealing a row of damaged teeth and the tip of his tongue is peeking out. I realize that the other man is standing by the door, staring at me. As soon as our eyes meet, he averts his gaze. The Joker turns around with a heavy sigh and squeezes the man's shoulder, pushing him closer to the counter.

' **W** hy don't you, uh… press the button and see for yourself, hmm ?' He steps back, encouraging him with a rapid gesture.

Without any hesitation, the man reaches for the device and presses the red button. The next second, there is a buzzing sound and all the muscles in his body seem to contract. My heart twists when I see him collapse on the floor with a loud thump. _I don't know_ _how many volts that was_ _, but he has to be dead_. The Joker cackles loudly as if it was the funniest thing he'd ever witnessed.

' **H** ow did you like that ? _Hmm_?'

He picks up the device and shoves it into the other man's hands.

' **L** ooks like there's only _you_ now. Go.' All trace of humor has disappeared from his face.

The other man nods his head obediently, but as he's spinning on his heel, the Joker suddenly clicks his tongue disapprovingly. I can see the other man's body tense and he hesitates, his hand already resting on the handle.

' **A** ren't you, uh… _forgetting_ something ?' There's a hint of menace in the Joker's voice.

I glance at the other man and I see his Adam's apple bobbing up and down worriedly before he finally clears his throat.

' **U** h, what… boss ?'

The Joker turns around with an impatient sigh and points the blade in my direction.

' **A** s you can see, I have a guest,' he replies in a dangerously low voice, 'so, you need to take your, uhh…' He points at the floor. '...little _friend_ with you.'

The man's eyes land on the body a few feet away and the confusion appears slowly on his face.

' **W** hat do I.. do with him ?' he asks hesitantly.

The Joker squints his eyes and cocks his head to the side, stepping slowly towards him, waving his switchblade in his hand.

' **W** hat do you _do_ with him ?' he repeats and I can feel the tension filling the room. 'Uhhh, store him in your freezer, cut him into little pieces or, uh… _stuff_ him and keep him in your living room! It's a dead body, I don't care what you do with it !' he retorts impatiently.

The other guy obeys without a word and starts dragging the body out of the apartment. As soon as they're out in the hallway, the Joker slams the door with a cruel chuckle and I let my head fall against the couch. I close my eyes and start rubbing my forehead again as I hear his footsteps approaching. There's a heavy sigh and the Joker sits next to me, the couch slightly sinking. I open my eyes and look at his face.

' **L** isten, Nora.' He places a hand on my thigh and squeezes it. 'I don't want there to be any hard feelings between us.' He wrinkles his nose and keeps his gaze on me. 'I can _see_ that you're upset.'

I shake my head in disbelief.

' **W** hy did you involve my aunt in this ?'

He barely blinks and his tongue slowly traces over his bottom lip.

' **N** o, no, no.' He shakes his head and points an accusing finger at me. ' _You_... left without saying goodbye. I mean… who does that to a friend, hm ?' He gives me a disapproving look. 'I had nothing to do with what happened to your aunt, _by the way_.'

' **Y** ou're lying,' I snort coldly, 'How did she disappear and then conveniently reappeared when I was with you ?'

The Joker glances around him with an exaggerated confusion written over his face.

' _ **M**_ _e_? I was in Arkham the whole time !' he says defensively, 'But, I know who is responsible.'

The last word echoes around the quiet room and I frown. His hand squeezes my thigh again to get my attention.

' **Y** ou might have upseta few people that evening with little Billy. You know, the Italian mob can sometimes be a bit...  _resentful._ '

 _What ? What did I even do to them ?_ His face is expressionless and I can't say if he's telling the truth or not. _No, he's not. He's just playing with me once again…_

' **S** o you had nothing to do with what happened ?'

' _ **N**_ _othing,_ ' he repeats confidently.

 _I know it was him. As he said, I tried to leave without telling him._ I stay quiet and stare at the old TV in front of us. The Joker removes his hand, only to drop his arm on the back of the couch behind me. I instinctively lean forward, avoiding any contact but he only leans closer to me.

' **W** anna know what else I heard ?' he continues without waiting for me to answer, 'You were wandering around here, trying to uh,  _help_ your aunt ?' He shakes his head. 'A bit risky, don't you think ?'

 _Not like he's never left me stranded in the Narrows before..._ but I simply shrug my shoulders, still avoiding his stare.

' **I** 'd do anything for her.'

' _ **A**_ _nything,_ ' he repeats with a chuckle, 'That's a strong word. Would you… _die_ for her ?'

' **O** f course,' I reply without thinking.

' **W** ait, so.' I feel his fingers brush my back. 'You'd rather die, so _she_ has to deal with your loss and not the other way around. This sounds  _awfully_ selfish.'

I clench my jaw but decide to ignore his last comment. The headache is getting unbearable and I just want to close my eyes and rest.

' **W** hat about the rest of your family ?'  
  
' **S** he's all I have,' I reply with a tired voice, 'Nobody else you can kidnap, I'm afraid,' I add dryly.  
  
The corners of his mouth twitch and he frowns.  
  
' **I** wouldn't do _that_.' He lets his face fall to one side and his eyes slowly turn to me. 'Wouldn't want you to, y'know, _hate_ me.'  
  
_He's done a pretty good job already._ To my relief, he gets up and I can rest my back against the couch again. Though, as soon as he's behind the couch, he almost immediately leans forward, his elbows resting right next to my head.  
  
' **I** have to work on something rather important now, so I would _appreciate_ if you stayed quiet. Understood ?' He's only inches from me, his hair brushing my left cheek.  
  
I nod rapidly.  
  
' **G** ood girl,' he drawls before striding back to the kitchen.

As soon as he's at a safe distance, I let a long breath out. After a few minutes, I turn the TV on, making sure I immediately mute it. _It's definitely not going to help the headache but I need to think of something else._ I stare at the screen, trying to read the actor's lips… _and I'm definitely not good at it_. A lot of strange smells are emanating from the kitchen behind me but I don't look over my shoulder once. He chuckles and mutters something under his breath and I try to relax, but I can't stop thinking about Rose. _Is she still at the hospital ? Is she ok ? I'm wondering if I had just waited patiently at Bruce's place… would the police have found her or did I have to go to Arkham in order for that to happen ? I feel like whatever I do, whatever choice I make, I just can't get away from him._  
  
I must have dozed off because the sound of the TV suddenly fills my ears. I open one eye and jump when I realize the Joker is sitting right next to me. He's hunched over something on his lap, a small box similar to the one from earlier and I straighten up, moving slightly away from him. _At least the headache is gone_. A documentary is now on and I stare at a lion stalking a gazelle for a few seconds before finally letting out the question I've been dying to ask.  
  
' **W** hy am I here ?' It comes out quieter than I hoped but he stops what he's doing and turns slightly towards me.  
  
' **W** ell, you see.' He gestures with his hands as he's talking. 'At first, I wanted to show you what I do, but it turned out to be... _boring_.'  
  
I frown because I know that whatever he's going to say next, can't be good. He chuckles and meets my eyes.  
  
' **W** hy should _I_ have all the fun ? So, now…' His voice gets really deep. 'You're going to _participate_.'  
  
His gaze leaves mine and he focuses on the device again. The sound of the lion's teeth piercing deep through the flesh fills the room and I clear my throat.  
  
' **W** hat do you mean "participate"?' I finally ask with a weak voice.  
  
The Joker chuckles without lifting his eyes up.  
  
' **I** want you to let go of your anger, Nora.'  
  
' **I** 'm not angry,' I immediately reply.  
  
' _ **O**_ _ooh,_ yes you are.'  
  
_I don't like this at all._  
  
' **W** hat do you want me to do ?'  
  
He lifts his head and takes a deep breath.  
  
' **S** omewhere in Gotham,' he starts with a theatrical voice, '...a man is chained to a roof, ready to die… And _you_.' He points at me with a yellow grin. 'Will do the _honors_.'  
  
_What ?!_  
  
' **N** o.'  
  
' **W** ell. _Yes_. The man has kidnapped and tortured your dear aunt. I mean…' He furrows his brows and licks his lips. 'Are you gonna let him... get away with it ?'

 _What does he mean ''torture'' ?! Gordon said she was fine… Is she ?_  
  
' **T** he police can deal with him,' I reply with a shaky voice.  
  
A quiet grunt comes out of his throat and he rolls his eyes.  
  
' **T** he police won't do a _thing,_ ' he sneers mockingly.  
  
I get up on my feet a bit too fast and a few bright dots appear in my vision.  
  
' **I** 'm not killing anyone. You can't make me do the things _you_ do,' I reply in a firm voice, hoping to sound confident.  
  
To my surprise, he jumps on his feet and he raises his hand, a sharp metallic sound resonating in the room. I glance at the switchblade and back at his intimidating face before slowly backing away.  
  
' **U** hh, _excuse me_? Did I give you the impression that I was uh… _negotiating_?' He chuckles and takes a step forward. 'You _are_ doing it.'  
  
' **I** am not killing anybody,' I repeat but my voice is breaking already.

I know there's no escaping him, but I still turn around and try to put some distance between us. Of course, his large hand grabs my wrist before I take two steps and he twists it roughly. I yelp in pain and turn around to face him.  
  
' **O** h, I'm sorry. Did it _hurt_ ?' He gives me a mocking look with his head cocked to the side before shoving me away. 

My body slams against the wall, elbows scraping against the rough surface.  
  
' **Y** ou won't kill me.'  
  
He comes closer and waves his blade in front of my face.  
  
' **I** don't wanna _kill_ you.' His head shakes with quick jerks. 'But I can _hurt_ you. And I know you don't handle pain well, Nora.'  
  
My back is flat against the wall now and he comes so close, I hold my breath for a few seconds.  
  
' **W** hat… you're going to torture me until I kill someone ?' I say through gritted teeth.  
  
His red eyes are staring me down, expressing no emotions at all. I know he can hear my heart beating against his chest and I try to gain some courage.  
  
' **I** should kill _you,_ ' I whisper, finally looking at him.  
  
A cackle comes out of his throat and he gives me a pitying look.  
  
' **Y** ou _really_ should.'  
  
My throat tightens and I wish I had something clever to say but I don't. His hand is next to my head and, despite the dull commentary coming from the TV, all I can hear is my own heartbeat echoing in my ears. I stare at his face, at the cracks and creases appearing in the makeup, the black smudged around his eyes partially covering his eyebrows but I avoid the scars, merely glancing at the one across his bottom lip. His tongue is pushing against the inside of his cheek and I realize something. _I'm not as scared as I used to be. I should be upset, angry, but I only feel drained. This isn't right_.  
  
Surprisingly, he puts his switchblade away and his eyes glaze over for a second.  
  
' **Y** ou know,' he starts again and his eyes roam over my face, seemingly searching for something, 'I was only joking, I won't _force_ you.'  
  
I shake my head in confusion _. I don't think he means it, but I can't be sure_. I'm barely breathing, just waiting for him to move away. Although, nothing is technically keeping me so close to him anymore and I could just push him away. Instead, he sighs dramatically and starts stroking my cheek with two fingers. I barely flinch but I clench my teeth so tight, it hurts. A low grunt rumbles in his chest and his fingers slide down to my throat, slowly wrapping around it.  
  
' **I** have _one_ question.'

I still haven't moved and I just nod in silence, waiting for him to ask it.

' **D** o you know Batman's real identity ?' His voice almost turns into a whisper.

I furrow my brows. _I wasn't expecting this question_. His gaze intensifies and his eyes are scanning my whole face so attentively that I almost don't feel the need to answer.

' **I** don't,' I reply truthfully.

' **H** mm.' He seems satisfied by my answer.

Using his thumb, he tilts my face to the right and then slowly to the left, inspecting my neck. I'm not sure what this is all about but I stay quiet. _It's probably best not to ask too many questions anyway_.

' **I** have something to do, so you'll be alone tonight.' His thumb traces a line down my neck, his nail slightly scratching the skin and I feel a wave of goosebumps covering my whole body. 'I advise you not to get out. Your chances of survival out there would be, uh, pretty _slim_.'

I slowly nod. _I think I've been in this situation enough times now to know how this works_.

In the last few minutes, I've gotten used to his closeness, which is probably why I don't immediately notice it. _But now, I definitely do_. While I can feel his whole body pressed against mine, I really didn't expect to feel his… arousal too. My body tenses almost immediately, the heat spreading across my cheeks has never been so intense before. I think he only notices it then because he suddenly cocks his head to the side and a quick 'hmm' escapes his lips, as if he was surprised by his own physical response. He doesn't move away though.  
  
' **W** ell, that's… _interesting,_ ' he comments, squinting his eyes.  
  
I'm not sure if he's talking to himself because he isn't looking at me but I'm too embarrassed to move. I try really hard to chase the intrusive thoughts that are popping into my head and not let my mind wander _there_. I've been staring at his chest for too long already and I realize that his eyes are fixated on me again. For a second, I see a dark glint in his eyes and I could swear he slightly pushes more weight onto me. _But it goes so fast that I'm not sure if I didn't just imagine it_. A mocking smile stretches his scarred lips and he shakes his head a few times.  
  
' **Y** ou look so… _nervous_.' His lazy gaze flicks over my face, alternating between my lips and eyes. 'You don't have to, y'know. I'm not an animal. I can, uh…' He leans closer to me, his lips brushing my cheek. '... _control_ myself.'  
  
And just like that, he pushes himself away and casually walks back to the kitchen, resuming whatever he was doing with the device. I'm still leaning against the wall, the cold suddenly surrounding me. I stand awkwardly still for a few seconds before settling back into the couch. He's leaning against the kitchen side as if I wasn't even there anymore.  
_He doesn't talk to me after that_. I hear a whisper, a quiet chuckle immediately followed by a silence again. Then, as he exits the apartment, he mutters something incomprehensible that, I think, isn't even directed at me. The door slams shut, the key jingles in the lock and a heavy silence settles.  _I'm so confused, I don't even know what to think or feel_.

I stay for another hour in front of the screen, my mind buzzing with too many thoughts until I decide to try to sleep. My stomach is growling but I ignore it, heading for the bedroom. _In other circumstances, I might have been curious and searched the place or think of a plan, but tonight I can't._ I spot my jacket and shoes on the floor and I slip quietly into bed.

______________________

I wake up hours later, sweating. I glance around the room, my chest going up and down frantically. I don't know why I woke up scared but I almost expect to find the Joker on the bed, staring at me. _But no one's here_. The place is plunged into darkness. I slowly get up and go to the kitchen to get some water. I lean forward to drink from the tap when I hear a sudden muffled sound. I turn off the tap immediately, keeping still, a few drops rolling down my chin. _It was definitely coming from the bedroom_. I swallow slowly and tiptoe through the living room. Then I hear it again, louder this time. My heart is pounding now and I stand by the door for a few seconds, too scared to have a look. _TAP TAP_. _It's coming from the window_. Knowing that the windows have bars, I feel a bit braver and I enter the room. My heart jumps in my chest when I spot the shadow standing behind the window. I run to it and open it wide. A cold draft strikes my face and relief washes over me. I clutch at the bars, avoiding the gloved hands already holding onto them.  
  
' **A** re you hurt ?' Batman asks, his voice devoid of emotion.  
  
I shake my head rapidly.  
  
' **H** ow did you find me ?' I don't know why I whisper but I'm too nervous to think.  
  
' **I** put a tracker on you.'  
  
_Oh. It's weirdly reassuring…_  
  
' **I** 'm alone. Can you come up the stairs or…'  
  
' **I** 'm not here to save you,' he cuts me off immediately.  
  
His words hit me like a punch in the stomach and I don't know what else to say. _Why ? Does he think that I had something to do with his escape ?_  
  
' **I**... Ok. I understand.' I nod slowly.  
  
_But I really don't_. I let go of the bars and just stare at the pair of dark eyes fixated on me.  
  
' **I** 'm here because I have an important message for you,' he says in a raspy voice.  
  
A strong gush of wind blows his cape with a quiet swoosh but he doesn't even blink. I wrap my arms around myself and take a step closer, nodding slowly.  
  
' **I** 'm listening.'

____________________

After flicking frantically through all the channels three times, I finally put a random one on and I cross my legs nervously. _I can't focus on anything though…_

The lock suddenly clicks and the door opens wide. The Joker slams it shut with his foot and sighs deeply. He sits heavily on the couch and I glance at him from the corner of my eye. The make up is running, his hair is damp and the smell of gunpowder is burning my nostrils. He wrinkles his nose as he removes one glove with a grunt. There's a spot covered in blood right between his fingers but he doesn't seem to care, instead just unloading the gun he's just taken out of his pocket. I can see the wound is still bleeding but I turn my head towards the TV again. _It's not my problem…_ I clench my jaw _. But I can't help it._

' **Y** ou still have something…' I stop talking, reaching for his hand instead.

It feels incredibly hot and I regret even touching him in the first place. He frowns in surprise but he doesn't say anything. I focus on the small shard of glass still stuck in the crease of his bruised finger and I pull it out with my nails. I immediately let go of his hand and move over, throwing the tiny piece of glass on the floor. His scars twitch and he slowly bends his fingers.

' **W** hat would I do without you ?' he says in a mocking tone.  
  
' **W** hat happened ?' I ask coldly.  
  
He shrugs his shoulders and cracks his neck in a quick motion. He gives me a sideways glance and cocks his eyebrows up.  
  
' **J** ust had a _liittle_ crash,' he answers as if it was nothing, 'Were you waiting for me ?' His tongue darts out rapidly and a slight smirk forms on his lips.  
  
' **N** o.'  
  
_Was I ?_ I spot some white paint on the tip of my fingers and I try to rub it off but I only manage to spread it more.  
  
' **I** had a nightmare,' I lie vaguely, before getting up.  
  
He doesn't say anything nor stop me when I walk back to the bedroom but I can feel his gaze following me the whole time.  
  
I slip into bed and wrap myself in the sheet, tucking it under my body before shutting my eyes. _I don't want to sleep. I couldn't sleep even if I wanted to. Batman's words are still resonating in my head and my heart is pounding. So I keep my eyes wide open and I just... wait._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next (and last!) chapter should be up next week!
> 
> Stay safe <3


	16. Like a magic trick

                                                                      

An hour passes before the Joker finally comes into the bedroom. The door creaks open and he clears his throat loudly.  
  
' ** _N_** _oora_ ? ' he starts in a sing-song voice, 'Time to go.'  
  
I open one eye and glance up at his shadowy figure standing by the bed.  
  
' **G** o where ?' I mutter, already knowing the answer.  
  
' **W** ell.' He sits on the bed and his gloved hand rests on my leg. 'I _told_ you what I wanted you to do.'  
  
_So, he was serious..._ I push the sheets off me and he gets back up, the mattress slightly bouncing. My throat feels like razor blades and I just stare at my feet on the cold floor. _I don't want to go_.  
  
' **C** an I have a minute ?' I ask quietly.  
  
' **H** m-hm.' He exits the bedroom, smoothing his hair with his hands and I wait for him to be out of view before I reach for something under the bed.  
  
I put my jacket on and my fingers are trembling so much that I need a whole minute before I can finally zip it up. _It's going to be ok_. I take another deep breath and leave the room.

________________

' **I** s it far ?' I ask, my voice barely audible over the sound of the engine.

He puts his arm around my seat and his dark eyes shift to me.

' **H** ungry ?' he asks, ignoring my question.

I shrug my shoulders, looking out the window.

' **N** o.'

He doesn’t seem to listen to me as he suddenly stops the car with a sigh of content. He adjusts his tie, looks at himself in the rear-view mirror before glancing back at me.

' **W** ell, I am,' he says before opening the door.

I follow him outside without a word. _I'm kind of hungry, but the thought of eating food, any food, makes me nauseous._

' **I** t's shut, ' I point out uselessly, staring at the restaurant in front of us.

 _Of course, he doesn't care if it's shut_. We walk around the building, through a small alley, stepping over the empty bottles and cans littering the floor. He stops a few feet away from the door, searching for something on the ground. He picks up a brick, weighing it in his hand before throwing it at the security camera. The lens shatters with a crisp sound and he throws his arms out triumphantly, flashing me a yellow grin. I just stare at him with a blank look and his arms drop defeatedly. I’m tempted to ask what’s even the point in doing that but I know he’d just replied “ _why not_ ?’’ As I lift my shoulders to block the wind from my neck, he tries the handle. _And, of course, it’s open._

' **I** mean, you would expect people to lock the door at least,' he chuckles, stepping in.

We walk down the dark hallway and the Joker enters the kitchen first, humming loudly, glancing around the place. I stand by the door, while he's circling confidently around the room, opening a few drawers carelessly. He finally picks up a long kitchen knife, his eyes traveling along the blade. I'm so focused on him that I don't hear the footsteps approaching behind me. My heart jumps in my chest but I immediately freeze when I feel a blade slowly sliding under my throat. A group of four men enters the kitchen, one pushing me further in. _Judging by the way they’re dressed, they work here_.

' **Y** ou're not supposed to be here,' the man says angrily, but I feel his hand starting to shake.

I turn my head away from his cigarette breath and glance at the Joker. He seems completely... unfazed by the situation. The other men are just staring at him and their threatening looks have turned into worried ones. _They obviously didn’t realize who it was..._ The Joker drops the knife on the counter almost in a theatrical way. I see his eye slightly twitch when he notices the hand around my waist but he stays unusually quiet.

' **L** eave and nobody gets hurt,' the man continues, trying to keep his composure.

At this point, it sounds more like a plea than a threat and I try to stay as still as possible because I don’t trust him not to accidentally cut me. The Joker squints and furrows his brows, his gaze shifting and his lips mouthing silent words.

' **O** k,' he finally starts, his head tilting slightly to the side, 'You're walking down the street and you witness a... robbery. What do you do ? Hmm ?' He glances at the four men one by one with raised eyebrows. 'Do you approach the robber and uh... try to _steal_ his bag or do you just... continue walking ?'

I'm not convinced that they understand what he's saying but a heavy silence settles and they look at each other, not sure if they should talk or not. The unease is palpable and one of them finally breaks the silence.

' **I** steal the money.' He leans against the counter, nodding slowly.

' **W** rong answer !' The Joker moves so fast that nobody sees it coming.

He stabs the man's hand with one of his knives and a loud scream of pain resonates in the kitchen. There are a few seconds of confusion before the other men react and start stepping towards the Joker.

' ** _A_** _-ta-ta-ta_.' He opens his coat and they all stop in their tracks, slowly stepping back.

A cluster of grenades are sewn into the lining of his coat, all rigged up to a long purple thread. His finger shakes the thread teasingly and I'm not sure if I'm horrified or relieved. I get released almost instantly and they all back away, too scared to turn their backs and run away. The Joker cackles and pulls me roughly behind him.

' **N** ow, gentlemen, I'd really appreciate if you could let us, uh, _enjoy_ the rest of the night.' He walks towards the walk-in freezer and opens the door loudly.  

He gestures for them to enter. _And they do._ The last one stops in front of the Joker, his face contorted with worry.

' **Y** ou gotta let us out after, please, the-the...the restaurant is shut for two days,' he starts stuttering, his eyes shifting rapidly, 'we don't have any ph-...'

The Joker snarls and grabs him by the collar, throwing him into the freezer. He slams the door shut and turns around with a sigh.

' **N** ow.' He looks around the kitchen. 'Let's _eat_.'

I'm still standing in the same spot, just furrowing my brows. _How long is it safe for them to stay in there ? A few hours ?_ I snap out of my daydream when he suddenly throws a plastic container to me. He's walking around again, opening the fridge, searching for food. He throws two more containers in my direction before exiting the room without a look at me. I quickly catch up with him and we enter the dining room.

The streetlights shining through the large windows provide enough light to see around us comfortably and I let my eyes travel along the pictures on the wall. We step around an abandoned bucket with a mop lying in the middle of the room and I can see dried soapy water on one of the windows. _They were obviously just cleaning here._

He sits at one of the booths with a sigh and I settle into the seat in front of him, glancing at the strange assortment of food. Two cold pizzas, a couple of dry chicken wings, a box of small cherry tomatoes and another one filled with sweet corn. The sight of food is making me hungry and sick at the same time. I take a bottle of water from the small fridge in the corner of the room and walk back to my seat with a pang of guilt. _I shouldn’t be ok with that, I shouldn’t get used to it._ His loud chewing pulls me out of my thoughts and I glance at him devouring the food as if he hadn't eaten for days... _which might be the case_. Every time he moves, I can hear the grenades in his coat and I wonder how I haven't noticed it before. His eyes suddenly leave the food and catch me staring.

' **B** e careful, Nora,' he starts, reaching for the bottle of water, 'Don't start, uh...' He gestures with his hands. 'catching _feelings_.'

He takes a big gulp of water before putting it back down with an exaggerated 'ahhh'. I avert my gaze without a word, scooping up a handful of sweet corn.

' **I** know.' He rolls his eyes, licking his lips a few times. 'I know, it's too late for _that_.' He adds with a chuckle.

I stare quietly at the food in the palm of my hand. _No point in replying, he’ll just twist whatever I say like he always does_. So I decide to change the subject and ask the first thing on my mind.

' **H** ow did you get the scars ?'

He frowns and swallows his mouthful.

' **S** ee, I'm a bit... _offended_ that you don't pay attention when I talk,' he replies, raising his eyebrows.

' **T** he real story,' I retort.

' **W** ell, I...'

He sighs and squints his eyes, glancing at the ceiling with a slight grimace.

' **I** don't _remember_.'

I raise one eyebrow, waiting for him to continue. He leans towards me, both elbows on the table as if he's about to tell me a secret.

' **Y** ou see, a few years ago, one night,' he continues, staring at me intently, 'I woke up on the street, behind a dumpster actually. It was uh, November I think, so a very _cold_ night and I just remember my whole face being in so much... _pain_. So, I dragged myself to a nearby car and when I looked in the mirror...' He bites his bottom lip, his eyes slightly widening. 'I was a... mess. I mean, I had blood everywhere, my mouth was, uh... _cut_ open. But, I had no memories. Not. _One._ '

I furrow my brows, skeptical.

' **A** nd then what ?'

' **W** ell, _then_ , Nora, I just became... _me_.' He shrugs his shoulders.

' **S** o... you don't remember anything ?'

The corners of his lips drop and he shakes his head. I can't help the small smile that appears on my lips _. I guess it would make sense_.

' **I** t was a very uh... _intense_ night.' He nods a few times. 'I mean, this,' He points at his scars. 'hurt like _hell_.'

I resume eating my sweet corn absently even though he's still looking at me. I know it's another lie but it got me thinking.

' **I** like this story,' I finally say with a nod.

' **W** ell, I'm _glad_.' He sits back with a smirk and I really wish I could read his mind right now.

He suddenly leans forward again, his smirk vanishing.

‘ **D** on’t go around uh, telling everybody, Nora. I _trust_ you.’

‘ **S** ure,’ I scoff.

He chuckles again and puts his feet up on the seat next to him, revealing a pair of colorful socks.

‘ **E** nough about _me_ ,’ he starts again with a sigh, ‘tell me what happened to your family.’

 _This again_. I suppress an impatient sigh. _He just can’t stand not knowing something_.

‘ **I** don’t really want to talk about it.’ I shrug my shoulders.

‘ **S** ooo.’ He squints and deep lines appear on his forehead. ‘I share a secret with you and I get, uh… _nothing_ ?’

‘ **I** t wasn’t a secret, it was a lie,’ I rectify quietly.

As soon as I speak, he slams his fist on the table with a loud bang and my heart jumps in my throat.

‘ **T** ell me,’ he says, baring his teeth.

I exhale quietly.

‘ **M** y parents and sister died in a car crash about twenty years ago.’

He squints and settles back against the seat, stabbing a tomato with his switchblade.

‘ **W** here were _you_ ?’ he asks.

I take another sip of water.

‘ **I** n the car. I was the only one wearing a seat belt,’ I explain, staring at the water ring on the wooden table.

‘ **O** uch,’ he wrinkles his nose before leaning against the table again. ‘Where you, uh… conscious the whole time ?’

I furrow my brows, my mouth starting to get dry.

‘ **Y** eah.’

His eyes stare into mine and he places his arms on the table.

‘ **I** ’m sorry, Nora.’ He shakes his head a few times but I know he doesn’t mean it. ‘You were just a kid, I mean seeing all the blood and...well let’s not get into, uh, _explicit_ details, but what you witnessed...’ He bites his bottom lip with a false expression of shock. ‘...would be enough to drive a grown man _crazy_.’

I keep a straight face because I know what he’s trying to do. Throughout the years, I’ve learned to put an emotional shield whenever I talk about it. I obviously don’t mention that to anyone, but I know I’ve _seen_ them when I crawled out of the car, I know I’ve seen the blood and all the gruesome details, but I don’t remember. When I close my eyes, I remember hearing metal parts clanging with the sound of a wheel still spinning in the air, the pain in my wrist, the faint noise of the traffic in the distance and the strong smell of petrol floating around the car. _But that’s all_. I guess my mind has suppressed the other memories.

The Joker is still staring at me and the satisfaction of bringing up those bad memories is barely hidden on his face.

‘ **I** made my peace with it,’ I reply, feigning indifference.

I feel my body starting to sweat under all the layers but unzipping my jacket would be a very bad idea. Thankfully, the Joker seems to lose interest and I glance outside. It’s started to rain, the sound of the raindrops drumming against the windows fills the room. I try not to focus on the banging sound that started a few minutes ago in the kitchen. The lump in my throat is getting bigger and I try not to think about the rest of the night either. _Not yet._

‘ **D** o you know that, stabbing an eyeball...like _this_ ,’ he stabs another tomato with his blade and holds it at eye level, ‘isn’t as easy as it sounds. I mean, it’s not that _hard_ , but if you wanna do things slowly, like me, the eye is so, uh... _squishy_ that it just moves around and…’

‘ **T** hank you,’ I interrupt him, dropping the rest of the sweet corn in the box with a sigh.

Still holding the switchblade in front of his face, his eyes slowly turn to me and he cocks his eyebrows. With a quick gesture, he bites into the small tomato and drops the switchblade on the table.

‘ **W** hat did I tell ya about smiling more, _hmm_ ?’ he leans forward to try to meet my eyes. ‘I mean, look at _me_.’ He points at his scars.

‘ **I** don’t really feel like smiling tonight.’ I glare at him.

He hits the table once with the palm of his hand, making me flinch again.

‘ **H** ow ‘bout a... magic trick ?’

‘ **N** o, thanks.’

He ignores my answer and gets up, shoving one hand in his pocket. He pulls me up with his other hand and I stand up reluctantly.

‘ **I** ’m gonna make you, uh… _smile_.’ His lips spread into a grin.

He starts reaching behind my ear and I shake my head.

‘ **I** ’m not a kid anymore,’ I retort when he shows me the Joker card he’s holding.

He blinks a few times and rolls his eyes.

‘ **I** know. _Watch_.’

Suddenly, he grabs the sides of my face with both hands, the card trapped between his index and middle finger, a few inches from my eyes. I hold my breath when I see his face getting closer until the scars on the side of his cheek brush my skin, sending a wave of goosebumps down my body.

‘ **I** know you wanna kiss me, Nora,’ he says quietly in my ear.

_Uh, what ?_

‘ **I** don’t.’

I hope he can’t hear my heart beating faster because it would definitely betray me. I hear the wet noise of his tongue licking his lips before he continues.

‘ **O** h, yes, you _do_.’

He takes a long breath, his face slowly moving back in front of mine and his lips are almost touching my forehead now. He’s towering over me, still holding my face tight, his eyes looking half-shut and I know he’s waiting for me to do something. That’s when I have this sudden-and _stupid_ \- urge to kiss him. I don’t think I really want to, but I still can’t help it. _Like someone who’s scared of heights, but still feel the urge to jump when standing near the edge of a cliff_. He’s already holding my face so I just move my head slightly up, standing on tiptoes, and our lips connect. I pull away instantly when I realize what I’m doing and he stares at me without a smile.

‘ **A** tta girl,’ he purrs, ‘After tonight, things will change,’ he continues while nodding his head.

 _What “things”? I don’t know what he means, but it doesn’t matter_. He lets go of my face, almost waving his gloves in front of me and that’s when I realize that the card’s gone.

I look down at the floor and furrow my brows. He’s not holding it anymore and I have to admit, I feel pretty stupid, considering how close it was. _I didn’t see anything._

‘ **O** k, you got me...I didn’t smile though,’ I add, pursing my lips.

He chuckles, letting out a quick “let’s go” and I follow him in silence.

The banging noise is louder now and I stop as soon as we reach the hallway.

‘ **W** e can’t leave them in there,’ I protest as he’s already walking towards the exit.

He stops reluctantly with a smile that doesn’t reach his eyes.

‘ **U** hh, yes, we _can_.’

In a few strides, he’s back in front of me and his fingers wrap around my wrist. He pulls me towards the exit. _What can I do ?_

As soon as we’re out in the rain, I move my arm and put some distance between us. He strides down the dark alley while I almost run next to him, taking refuge under the small roof, along the wall. The night is particularly cold and I glance up at the starless sky. Puffs of grey clouds are surrounding the moon and it’s a matter of minutes before it disappears completely and leaves us with a black sky. The Joker stops as soon as we’re back on the sidewalk and I just stand against the wall, waiting for him to decide where we’re going. I push a trash bag with my foot to make some space and wrap my arms around myself. He’s just standing under the rain, not bothered about the water ruining the makeup, his eyes roaming the empty streets. I know better than to ask questions so I just wait patiently. After a few seconds, he calls me over with a quick gesture of the hand.

‘ **Y** ou see the taxi over there ?’ He points at the vehicle a few feet away on the other side of the road. ‘Get us a ride, will ya ?’

I stay frozen for a moment, but when I see his expression, I finally move and quickly cross the road. As scared as I am in a car with him driving, I’d prefer _that_ than involve another innocent person. After stepping in a few puddles, I can feel the water slowly seeping into my shoes. When I realize that the man is reading a newspaper, not paying attention to anything else, I tap on the window. His head shoots up and he folds the paper, quickly rolling down the window.

‘ **A** re you waiting for someone ?’ I ask, hoping he’ll say yes and send me away.

‘ **N** ope. That’s my last hour, so hop in !’

 _Great_.

‘ **I** ’m with a friend,’ I add nervously, glancing at the other side of the street.

‘ **Y** eah, that’s fine.’ He opens the glove compartment and starts searching for something, turning the GPS on with his other hand.

I freeze, my hand holding the handle. _What am I doing ? Helping him, basically acting as an accomplice. When exactly did I stop being the victim ?_ I open the door when I see him approach the car and I settle in the back seat with a sigh. The Joker joins me a few seconds later and slams the door shut. I glance nervously at the driver but he’s not paying attention to us, his eyes focused on the device.

‘ **W** here to ?’ he asks, his finger hovering over the screen.

‘ **G** otham Cathedral,’ the Joker replies calmly.

The driver clears his throat and turns off the GPS. He mutters a ‘not far’ and starts the car. My whole body is tensed and I wipe the drops of rain off my face. The Joker is sitting with his hands clasped on his lap and his eyes are fixated in the mirror. He’s staring at the driver with the creepiest look I’ve seen and I can hardly believe the man still hasn’t looked at him once. I grow uncomfortably anxious and I clear my throat quietly.

‘ **M** aybe you could... call the police and tell them about the… you know, the men,’ I start, glancing at him nervously.

He finally takes his eyes off the driver and looks at me, his head falling on the side. He doesn’t answer but keeps his eyes on me, searching for something in his pocket. To my surprise, he gets his phone out and flips it open, his tongue running over his teeth. _I didn’t expect him to actually do it, I was merely trying to distract him from the driver._

‘ **Y** es, _hi_.’ He squints, holding the phone against his ear. ‘I’d like to report a slight, uh... incident. There _might_ be a group of four men, locked in a freezer, somewhere.’

I furrow my brows, my attention focused on him. _Is he really calling them ?_

‘ **I** … well, _nooo,_ I don’t know the exact location.’ He rolls his eyes but my heart jumps when I hear the sudden sound of a gun cocking. The driver is now staring at the Joker in the mirror and I can see a pair of widening eyes quickly flickering between the road and the reflection. The Joker pushes the muzzle into the man’s exposed neck and continues.

‘ **Y** ’know what ?’ he pauses before licking his lips rapidly. ‘Why don’t you figure out the location yourself, _hmm_?’

He hangs up with a grunt and shoves the phone back in his pocket. I flinch when his hand comes resting on my thigh but I don’t move or say anything.

‘ **Y** ou need to get outta my car,’ the driver starts, his hands moving nervously on the steering wheel.

‘ **N** o, no, no. _You_ need to drive. Faster.’ The Joker nods his head, moving closer to the driver’s seat.

I can feel his hand slowly creeping up my thigh and I shift in the seat uncomfortably. I wish we were almost there because I’m starting to feel claustrophobic. I can see the man glancing at the grenades hanging in his coat and his brows tighten.

‘ **Y** ou’re crazy,’ the man whispers.

The Joker squints and his fingers involuntarily clench around my thigh.

‘ **N** o, you’re crazy for calling a man who has _your_ life in his hands, well… _crazy_.’ He giggles quietly.

A couple of minutes pass until I see the Cathedral appear on the side of the road. As soon as the car stops, I open the door hurriedly and get out of the car with a relieved sigh. I see the Joker throw a few bills at the man before jumping out of the vehicle. He stops next to me, searching for something in his coat and I shove my hands in my pocket. _It’s freezing._ The Joker starts humming a dramatic melody and I glance at the object held in his hand. My heart jumps in surprise.

‘ **W** hat are you d-...?!’ I start but he’s already pulled the pin.

‘ **O** ops, _sorry_ !’ he throws the grenade at the taxi and I see the thing rolling under the wheels before the Joker pushes me down.

The explosion echoes around the street and I duck my head behind the parked car, the Joker’s high-pitched laugh resonating above me. He’s standing up with a wide grin on his face and he offers me his hand. I glance at the car but I guess it’s not as bad as I thought. I expected to see the car in flames with the driver probably dead behind the wheel. _What you would see in movies, I guess_. While the car is most definitely dead with shattered windows, shredded tires and the oil leaking all over the pavement, the driver comes out, seemingly unharmed. The explosion has set off the alarm of a nearby car and I quickly follow him down the street, relieved that the man is alive. Thankfully, the rain has stopped, and I do my best not to slip on the wet floor. The car alarm can still be heard in the distance and soon another sound echoes in the empty street. I’m being pushed to the ground again and this time he hides next to me, waiting for the police car to drive past us.

After a few seconds, we stand back up and he glances down at his pocket watch. He places his hand behind my back and gestures for me to cross the road. I look up and see the tall building in front of me and I know we’re here. _The man is up there_. I take a deep breath and force my shaky legs to keep moving. The building is abandoned, ready for demolition-judging by the signs- and as soon as the door shuts behind us I freeze. _I can’t do this_. The Joker takes my hand in his and pulls me forward but my fingers only squeeze his glove and my feet stay glued to the floor. He turns around with his eyebrows raised.

‘ **I** _know_ you’re nervous, Nora,’ he starts, but I interrupt him.

‘ **W** hy can’t you just let me go ?’

‘ **L** isten.’ His hand slides up to my wrist and he holds it tightly between his fingers. ‘I know you don’t _really_ wanna be away from me.’

I shake my head immediately, my gaze dropping to the floor. He steps closer, his fingers squeezing again.

‘ **S** o, be a doll for me,’ he says in a deep voice.

I close my eyes for a few seconds.

‘ **O** k.’ My eyes finally meet his. ‘There’s a messed up part of me who likes you and I really don’t know why. Maybe there’s something wrong with me or maybe it’s some sort of... Stockholm syndrome, I don’t know, but… that’s _why_ I need to get away from you.’

I regret saying it as soon as it comes out of my mouth but I guess it’s too late. He’s looking down at me almost with a pitying look, his jaw clenching a few times.

‘ ** _A_** _aaaw..._ and you think I’m just gonna let you uh… _walk away_ because, what, I’m disturbing your _hormones_ ?’ He snorts mockingly. ‘You can blame whatever you want, Nora, I don’t really care. You’re mine now and the game is only over when I say it is.’

My heart is pounding but I don’t know what to say, I really don’t. I just stare at his eyes, trying to swallow the lump in my throat.

‘ **S** o how does it end ?’ I finally ask.

‘ **N** ora.’ His eyes roll to the ceiling theatrically. ‘When you’re watching a movie, do you want to know the end halfway through? Or do you just sit back and...  _enjoy_ the ride ?’

 _But this isn’t a ride I’m enjoying…_ I glance at the door and I’m seriously considering just running out, far away from here, but I don’t know how far I would make it before he catches up with me or… shoots me in the back. His hand pushes my hair out of my eyes and falls on the side of my neck, his thumb stroking my chin absently.

‘ **Y** ou know, I like you too,’ he starts, his eyes wandering over my face, ‘I mean, that’s _why_ I couldn’t let you go when you came to Arkham.’

I just shake my head.

‘ **I** don’t belong to you, you can’t just take me wh-...’ I start before he cuts me off with a low grunt and his thumb comes resting on my throat with a light squeeze.

‘ **O** h, I can take you whenever I want.’ His voice lowers dangerously. ‘I could uh, _take_ you, right here.’ His intimidating eyes haven’t left mine for a second and I don’t immediately realize what he means until he lifts his chin up and the corners of his mouth twitch.

I feel like a sudden and devastatingly possessive aura is growing around him, pulling me in and it scares me a little so I push his hand out of my face to break the spell. He chuckles, jaw clenched.

‘ **Y** ou don’t play with fire and then cry when you get _burned,_ Nora. You could have left a long time ago or… you could have killed me.’ He leans forward with his eyebrows raised. ‘But you _didn’t_.’

I nod slowly. _I don’t think that everything is my fault, but if I had made the right choices, I wouldn’t be here right now_. So, he takes my hand again and I let him.

After climbing the last flight of stairs leading us to the roof, he pushes the door open and a cold wind blows through my hair. The door falls shut with a loud clunking noise and I stare at the man a few feet away from me. He must be in his forties, a thick and dirty beard with dark eyes. His hands are tied up to a pipe and his clothes are soaked, sticking to his red and blotchy skin. As soon as he hears the door, he lifts his head up and glares at us, all his muscles spasming involuntarily.

‘ **L** et me showyou.’ The Joker gets his phone out and hands it to me.

I take it with shaky hands and my throat tightens when I see a picture of Rose’s bruised face. I almost drop the phone and quickly give it back to him. _I don’t want to see it. It’s only a picture, she’s fine. She isn’t in danger anymore_. I meet the man’s eyes and a look of disgust comes over his face. He spits on the floor, still staring at me and the Joker sighs loudly.

‘ **B** ehave,’ he warns him in a light tone, ‘because I’ll let Nora, here, go first but I’m still in charge and my fingers are uh… _aching_.’

The man swears under his breath, averting his eyes and the Joker turns to me, expectantly.

‘ **H** e’s all yours.’

' **G** ive me your jacket,’ I say abruptly.

He squints, surprised by my request.  
  
' **I** t's uh… custom-made, Nora, it wasn't _cheap_.'  
  
' **Y** ou got a handful of grenades attached to it, I'm not the one who’s gonna ruin it,’ I retort coldly, ‘I just don’t want you to pull a stunt on me.’  
  
He chuckles and rolls his eyes.  
  
' _ **F** ine_.' He takes it off and hands it to me swiftly. 'You know, if you just wanted to undress me, you could have said so. I wouldn't say _no_.'  
  
I take the jacket and throw it a few feet away. I'm waiting for a reaction but he doesn't say anything. His gaze still fixated on me, he takes the gun out of his pocket.  
  
' **F** or _you_ , Nora.' He cocks the weapon and hands it to me.

I shake my head slowly.

‘ **W** ell, I got _knives_ too, if you prefer…’  
  
I take a deep breath and a million thoughts invade my mind all at once but I shut them all off and take the weapon. My hand is already shaking and I try to get used to the strange feeling of holding a gun. It feels heavier than I expected. _I don't like it_. I turn to the man tied up to the pipe and he's staring at me with a defiant look. I clear my throat and try to hide the fear spreading through my body.  
  
' **D** id _you_ do... what he said ?' I ask, looking at him.  
  
He lifts his head a bit higher, his gaze turning steely.

' **Y** eah, I did.'

His thin lips turn into a grin and I clench my jaw. _Even if someone paid him to do the job, he's the one who laid his hands on Rose..._  
  
' **D** o what you gotta do, girl.' He continues with a cold look. 'But don't except any fucking apologies from me.'  
  
I nod slowly, swallowing hard and I hear the Joker's low chuckle. I know he's enjoying this. I turn to him, my eyes shooting daggers.

' **W** hy do you want me to kill him ?'  
  
' ** _B_** _ecause_ … Well, he _deserves_ it aaand I want you to see the world through my eyes.' He steps towards me. 'You just need a little push and then you'll _understand_.'  
  
I shake my head. The wind blows again and the night seems weirdly quiet all of a sudden, as if we were truly alone on this roof.

' **I** ’m not like you.'

He holds my shoulders and leans forward.

‘ **I** don’t want you to be _like_ me, Nora. I want you to do it _for_ me. Consider it an… experiment,’ he snarls, gesturing with his hands, ‘your life only got, uh, _interesting_ when you met me, I know that.’

‘ **S** o you’re just studying me like a… lab rat ?’ I shake my head again in disbelief.

' **W** ell, you’re saying it like it’s a _bad_ thing, but it’s not. Aren’t you interested in what you’re uh… capable of ?' the Joker adds, stepping aside.  
  
I slowly walk closer to the ledge, in front of the man, my heart pounding in my chest. As I raise the gun with hesitation, all the past events that lead me to this moment pop in every corner of my mind. _Karen convincing me to go on a blind date. Dan. Me at the hospital. Bruce and Alfred, the police station…_ The memories start flooding my mind rapidly and I shake my head, trying to make them disappear.

That’s when I hear the footsteps. The Joker turns on his heel, but before he can reach for a weapon, the door slams open and an officer storms through the door. Followed by another one, and another one, and finally Gordon appears. Suddenly, it feels like everything comes back to life around us. The once quiet night is now filled with noises. Sirens from down the street, flashlights clicking, footsteps splashing in the shallow puddles.  
  
' **H** ands up !'  
  
The Joker rolls his eyes up and grunts lowly as the first officer secures the handcuffs around his wrists.  
  
' **Y** our timing is always perfect, _Jim_.' He accentuates the name with a snarl.

And then Rose appears. My heart almost bursts through my chest when I see her and a tear immediately comes rolling down my cheek when I spot the bruises on her face.

' **N** ora,’ Gordon says softly, ‘you can drop the gun.'  
  
My hands start shaking but I'm still aiming at Rose’s aggressor. The Joker looks at me with a sudden and curious interest and I only realize now that the other officers have raised their guns too. Gordon immediately gestures for them to lower their weapons and he takes a step forward.

' **N** ora ?'

' **I** have to do this.' I whisper loud enough for them to hear.  
  
' **N** ora, drop the gun,' Gordon orders this time, 'It's over.'  
  
' **I** s it really ?’ My voice is shaking now.

‘ **H** oney, everything’s fine.’ I hear Rose say but I can’t look at her right now.

 **Y** ou don’t understand,’ I protest weakly. 'It won't be over until I do this. He won't leave me alone,' I repeat, another tear rolling down my cheek, ‘Don’t, Gordon,’ I quickly add, aiming the gun at him, ‘Just… don’t come any closer.’  
  
I see a slight almost proud smirk appear on the Joker's face and I take a step back. From the corner of my eyes, I see _him_. My heart clenches in my chest and I take a deep silent breath. _It's the only way..._  
  
' **Y** ou need to drop the gun, now !' Gordon's voice sounds almost angry now. 'If you kill that man, you'll go to prison. We both know you don't belong there.'  
  
' **I** 'm sorry.' My voice breaks and I make eye contact with my aunt for a second.  
  
I pull the trigger. And everything goes very fast after that. I’ve never fired a gun before so I didn’t expect it to be so powerful. My ears start ringing painfully and I can’t hear anything else for a few seconds.

I guess what happens next could be justified by a few things.

 _Maybe, in the confusion, I’ve moved my arm and aimed the gun at Gordon or another police officer and they thought I was going to shoot. Or it could have just been a mistake_. _I’m sure they’ll come up with a good explanation._ Obviously, I've missed the shot, but Gordon hasn't. All I can register is how much the bullet hurts, way more than I expected. I stumble back, my hands clutching at my chest, trying to catch my breath. _Shit_.

‘ **I** need an ambulance, now !’ the Commissioner shouts, bringing his radio up to his lips.

I hear a desperate scream from Rose and I look at the Joker. _I need to see his face one last time._ His smile has frozen and he's actually frowning now. _Not so funny anymore, I guess._  I take a last step that brings me over the ledge and my foot touches nothing. Gordon rushes towards me but it's too late. I fall back and the adrenaline makes me almost pass out. At least, I forget about the pain, the wind whistling in my ear, deafening me momentarily. A few tears escape my eyes and I feel like my heart is in my mouth. The top of the building seems so far away already, I know the impact is imminent. I shut my eyes, all the confidence flying out of me. Suddenly, I'm wrapped up in strong arms and I feel like I can’t breathe anymore, everything turns black. My hands desperately try to hold on to something and I clutch at the arm across my chest, the sound of a cape flapping in my ears. Then everything stops and there's a loud crash, but no pain. Batman opens his arms and looks down at me. I keep my eyes shut for a few more seconds, chest heaving, the adrenaline making me dizzy.  
  
' **Y** ou're ok ?'  
  
Before I can reply, he's already lifting me up with ease and jumping off the wrecked car, pushing his cape out of the way. He carries me across the road as if I was weighing nothing. My head resting against his hard body armor, I spot blood on the road but it’s not mine. There are police cars, even an ambulance but he walks past them towards an empty building. My chest hurts like hell and I struggle to catch my breath, coughing a few times as he pushes the door open.  
He finally puts me down in the corner of the room, hidden from the road and straightens back up. I rest my back against the wall, short-breathed.  
  
' **T** hanks for that.' I finally say with a sigh.  
  
He nods but doesn't say anything. A moment later, Gordon enters the building, followed closely by Rose. Worry is written all over her face but when she spots me on the floor, she puts her hand on her chest. She crouches in front of me and gives me a tight hug. I wince in pain and she releases me immediately when she feels my muscles tense, her head still nestled in the crook of my neck.  
  
' **O** h, honey.' I feel tears running down my neck and I squeeze her harder, ignoring the pain.  
  
Gordon sighs loudly and rests his hands on his hips.  
  
' **W** here did I get you ?' he asks, the corners of his lips twitching.  
  
I pinch my lips and zip my jacket off.  
  
' **N** ear the ribs.'

_Someone could have warned me it was going to hurt that bad._

‘ **Y** ou were good,’ he comments, nodding his head.

_So was he._

' **D** id it work ?' I add, taking off the bulletproof vest and handing it back to Batman with a relieved sigh.  
  
Gordon nods, raising his eyebrows.  
  
' **H** e's hysterical. I had to bring more officers to restrain him,' he confirms, 'When we bring him outside the building, the ambulance’s still gonna be there with a body bag.'  
  
I nod, my stomach twisting strangely and Rose squeezes my hand tighter as he continues.  
  
' **A** s far as the Joker's concerned... you're dead now.'

*********

The next morning, a few sleepless hours later, we are taken to the airport and we catch a plane back home. For once, I was a step ahead and I didn't let the Joker win. _But I didn’t like it, even if I know that was the right thing to do._ _I know he would have never left me alone…_

Gordon was the last person I talked to and I know I owe him a lot, along with Batman. Unfortunately, I didn’t have the chance to see or thank Bruce and Alfred again and I’m not allowed to contact them again. _I can’t even begin to imagine how the Joker would react if he ever learned the truth..._  
  
‘ **D** o you want me to put your bag up here ?’ Rose’s voice pulls me out of my daydream.

‘ **N** o, I’ll keep it with me.’ I push the bag with my foot under the seat in front of me.

I shift in my seat, trying to get comfortable while the last passengers board the plane. With a tired sigh, I rest my head against the window. I stare at the red lights on the runway and watch the drops of rain streaming down the window. _Why do I feel bad ?_ My throat is so tight, I feel like I’m going to choke and I try to focus on anything but my feelings because I know it’d be too overwhelming.

As I fold my ticket in half and put it away in my jeans, I realize there’s already something in my back pocket. I take it out, but I still need a few seconds to react. My heart twists painfully and I furrow my brows in disbelief. _The Joker card_. My hands are shaking when I finally find the courage to flip it over. A single word is scribbled at the back:

_Smile_

I snort while shaking my head. _How did he do that ?_ As a small smile appears on my face, the lump in my throat only gets bigger. The pilot’s voice crackles through the speaker, but I don’t listen to it, my fingers fiddling absently with the card. These past few months have definitely been a roller coaster for me and I’ll never forget them... but it’s all over now and for the best.

Last night was the last time I'd ever set foot in Gotham...  _or so I thought._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's it for the first part! Thank y'all for the kudos, comments, you've kept me going!
> 
> I'll be back in a few weeks for part 2, I hope I'll see you next time... Until then, stay safe <3


	17. Bonus chapter: The Cell

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, this wasn't really planned, but it just popped in my head a few days ago, soo... here you go.

**Arkham Asylum**

**Intensive Treatment Center**

This part of the asylum resembles an old industrial building with a few guards patrolling the main halls. Water drips from the ceilings in every room, a tenacious mold spreads on the brick walls and the eerie atmosphere creates a constant feeling of unease among the guards. The place itself feels _sick_ as if the patients' mental state had somehow transferred onto the walls. The long and confusingly identical hallways seem to stretch forever, leading deeper into the building. A solid metal gate, requiring a key card, gives access to a narrow corridor leading to the cells. Without surprise, the cells are small, dirty and, to make sure the dangerous patients don’t have any sense of privacy anymore, the glass walls surrounding them are one-way mirrors. This way, the guards are able to see the whole cell and check on them without having to step inside. The door only gets unlocked for the daily medication, the stale food and the occasional cleaning around the cell. Well, that’s true for most patients. Not for the Joker.

They have hundreds of security cameras, motion sensors, locked doors and they think the place is secure and safe. _But no one’s ever safe_. The Joker knows this place like the back of his hand. Built as a maze, _his maze_. Access codes, key cards..? They’re just _details_. This place is a huge playground and he _likes_ challenges.

Every time he ends up here, they make sure to remove every last bit of paint off his face. As if that would suddenly make him harmless. Ironically, they’re even more nervous to look at him now... but, the Joker doesn’t care about that. He doesn’t care about the dark, the cold, the silence or the pain. That’s for the scared, _weaker_ minds.

‘ **I** wasn’t done,’ he mutters to himself, scratching at a red stain on his outfit, ‘but you took her, Jim.’

 _There’s a guard outside the cell_. His eyes slowly shift to the glass wall. The Joker can hear him, he can feel him watching. Muffled footsteps walking back and forth in front of the door, a key jingling and someone clearing their throat impatiently - _ah, every fifteen seconds actually. He sounds young. Too young for this job_. He grins at the thought.

_He’s nervous. New guy._

Another set of footsteps approaches. _Heavy, slight limp_. _Good ol’Frank._ The Joker doesn’t move, humming quietly while eavesdropping on the conversation.

‘ **T** he transfer’s been delayed,’ the older voice says with a sigh, ‘It won’t happen this week.’

‘ **I** s _he_ getting transferred too ?’

‘ **Y** eah, straight to solitary confinement, though. He wouldn’t last a minute in general population.’

‘ **W** hy ?’

There’s an obnoxious snort.

‘ ** _W_** _hy ?_ D’you know how many inmates in there would love to spend one minute alone with him, without his group of clowns defending him ? He’d be dead before we even make it back to the car. Hey, don’t get me wrong, I ain’t against that.’

The Joker cackles quietly and the footsteps walk off.

_If he could feel fear, then he’d probably...care. But he can’t. There’s only the opportunity to break a few necks until they get him and when they do...well, it’s only fair play._

_Strychnine. Methanol. Hydrogen cyanide._

_Rat poison, surface cleaner aaand… apple seeds._

He gets up and pushes a dirty strand of hair off his face with the back of his hand. He approaches the heavy metal door as close as the chains allow him to. He frowns and clears his throat exaggeratingly loud.

‘ **K** nock, _knock_.’

His nasal voice resonates for a second before a heavy silence swallows it again. He sighs dramatically and shrugs his shoulders.

‘ **I** dunno if you’re aware, but it’s actually the beginning of a joke. A bad one, I’ll give you that, but you could just, y’know… _play along_.’ He gestures with his hand and twists his face into a grimace. ‘If you don’t, _well_ , uh, it kinda ruins the joke.’

He squints, his tongue sliding over his front teeth.

‘ **I** ’m not supposed to talk to you,’ a young voice finally resonates from the other side of the door.

 _Ah. He talks_.

‘ **W** ell, that’s unnecessarily mean. Talking is just… talking. I mean, I’m chained to the floor. You’re the one with the gun, I’m harmless, see ?’ His smile drops and he shakes his foot to make the chains click loudly. ‘Do you really let them tell you when to speak, like a… child ?’ he starts again, tilting his head and wrinkling his nose. ‘Are you… a child ?’

‘ **N** o.’

‘ **W** hat’s your name ?’

There’s a short silence and he can almost feel the reluctance seeping through the door.

‘ **A** shley,’ the young man gives in quietly.

_Oh, this one’s gonna be fun._

‘ **O** k, uh... _Ash_. Listen, don’t let them walk all over you. Frank ? He’s all _bark_.’ He waves his hand as if he was shooing a fly away. ’But you know what I’ve noticed with your, uh… fellow colleagues ?’

His tongue peeks out and he licks the corners of his chapped lips before continuing.

‘ **T** hey don’t respect _pushovers_. I mean, first, they tell you when to talk and then, what... hmm ? They’ll tell you when to _breathe_?’ A sneer appears on his face and he snorts. ‘I mean, it should be your decision… don’tcha think ?’

He chuckles and turns around, the chains dragging loudly on the ground. _Plant a seed_.

‘ **J** ust sayiiing,’ he adds in a singsong voice.

He sits on the floor again, his back resting against the dirty wall, legs sprawled in front of him. He can hear the guard walking away and he smacks his lips, his eyes searching for something on the floor.

 _Janitor’s closet, end of the hallway. Two minutes and a half, in and out._ _Easy_.

He cracks his knuckles one by one and the popping sound echoes around the empty cell.

‘ **N** ora,’ he whispers through clenched teeth as if the name was poison.

_It should've been him making the decision and if she had to die, then it should've been his hands doing it._

_He needs to get her off his mind, but an obsession isn’t rational, it’s wild. It finds its way to the mind like a small, sneaky insect. And once it’s there, it’s not going anywhere._

_His fingers are aching again, restless, they need to… squeeze something. A neck, preferably. Gordon’s, ideally. He wants to feel the pressure around his throat, the veins bulging on his face. Red. Then, just when he’s about to slip, let him go, let him catch his breath and start again, over and over until he starts begging. The best part. And then, only then, he could start with the knives_.

He flicks a cockroach off his leg before fiddling with one of his sleeves.  _No, no, no, it’s not…enough._ He exhales loudly, thinking for a second. _He could skin him alive first._ _Or his wife !_ He grins before yanking on a freed thread, his imagination going wilder.

‘ **Y** ou wanna play, Jim ?’ His voice goes deep and he starts ripping the seam. _‘Oh_ , I wanna play too.’

He shakes his head frantically, his jaw clenching. The thread digs deeper into his skin before unraveling effortlessly.

‘ **A** nd Batman.’ He giggles again, but it quickly turns into an angry grunt and the chains rattle violently on the floor. ‘Ahhhh, _Batmaaan_. Of course, when we need him, the flying rat is too _busy_ to show up.’

_Oh, Jim made a mistake. He snatched his favorite toy and smashed it on the floor, right in front of him._

His scarred mouth stretches slowly and his jaw tightens until it hurts.

 _But now, it’s his turn to play with Gordon and he’s going to mess with his toys_... _because the Joker is a lot of things, but a forgiving person isn’t one of them._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Until next time! Stay safe <3


End file.
